EXPLORE OVER FIFTY YEARS OF THE KREWE OF NEREIDS MARDI GRAS BAL MASQUE PROGRAMS
HCLS is excited to share a new addition to our digital archive collections. We recently completed the in-house digitization of fifty-five printed programs donated by the Krewe of Nereids. This donation will be a wonderful resource for local history enthusiasts and researchers, providing a glimpse of the traditions and evolution of one of the oldest Mardi Gras krewe on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This donation includes the program for the first Bal Masque event in 1967 and most of the subsequent years, with glimpses at the themes and membership at each annual Mardi Gras ball.
Screenshot of the Krewe of Nereids items in the Gulf Coast Mardi Gras collection
The first Bal Masque program for the event held in 1967
Staff at HCLS spent several weeks capturing each page of the fifty-five programs. Image scans were then uploaded into our digital preservation platform, along with metadata to describe each item. Then we uploaded compiled pdf files for each item to our public access collection at archive.org, where users can view, download, and share these resources. HCLS is able to capture high-resolution, archival-quality scans thanks to grant funds from the Internet Archive’s Community Webs program.
In-house image capture of donated materials
The programs digitized in this donation featured a wide array of art, capturing the excitement of these annual Mardi Gras balls and the dedication that the Krewe of Nereids brought to each annual event. Many of the programs included an affixed Mardi Gras doubloon created each year based on the krewe’s theme. We hope users of this collection will enjoy browsing each item as much as we enjoyed capturing them.
One of many Mardi Gras parade doubloons created by Nereids and included in the ball programs
The Gulf Coast Mardi Gras digital collection complements existing collections, including our in-house Mississippi Special Collection and online web archive and includes photographs, documents, and other items highlighting the unique culture and folkways of Mardi Gras on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and surrounding areas. This digital collection was created in 2025 as part of our community archiving initiative.
The Hancock Community Archive initiative invites individuals and groups in Hancock Couty to participate in the preservation of our stories. Items donated to HCLS’s digital archives are post-custodial—meaning you can lend us your materials while we digitize and create descriptive metadata, then we return your items. At the heart of community archiving is engaging the community to help guide collections. Hancock County Library System is cultivating digital collections that matter to current and future users. If you have photographs, documents, or other items you think tell an important story for Hancock County, contact the program coordinator Ash Parker.