When friends see Raceland freshman Maegan Thibodaux on campus, they ask if she has been practicing her wave. She has spent several evenings in the past few weeks in lavish dresses at royal balls, toasting with other sovereigns. Life might appear like one party after the next for Thibodaux, the 2006 Queen of Apollo. But she is quick to remind others that the Krewe of Apollo is small and, unlike the big city parades, Apollo has a “down-home feel.” All that “down-home feel” will culminate Saturday when the Krewe of Apollo rolls through Lockport.

Thibodaux had no affiliation with Apollo until she met its current king, Jared Taylor. The duo started dating last summer and as soon as Taylor learned he would be the 2006 king, he asked Thibodaux to be his queen.

“I didn’t know this was going to be one of the perks,” Thibodaux said of being Taylor’s girlfriend. She also said the couple has handled the role of royalty well and has not succumbed to any pressure. “We have not had any problems at all, just making the best of it.”

The pressures and duties of being the queen of a small-town parade can be different than those in the big cities. While she still has to make those important appearances at parties, she also has other, more small-town responsibilities.

“It’s like a real down-home parade, nothing really too extravagant,” Thibodaux said. “Everyone really makes and helps decorate their own floats. If they need help decorating their floats, I have to go and help them,” Thibodaux said.

Each float in the Krewe of Apollo has its own theme, and since Thibodaux has helped build several floats, she already has a favorite.

“There is a ‘clowning around’ one,” Thibodaux said. “They are actually building a clown’s head, and the whole float is going to be the body of the clown.”

She has not only helped build floats, but Thibodaux has spent the last several weeks preparing for parties and balls. She does not complain, even though preparing for a small town Mardi Gras party means more than finding the perfect dress.

“It was fun,” Thibodaux said. “Me and my parents and Jared helped build the backgrounds and set everything up for the party. We did the background for the ball, too.”

It is not all work; the queen has to have some fun. So, the queen made an appearance at the ball on Feb 18. She paraded around the American Legion and waved to the approximately 200 in attendance. Pictures were taken and the court was presented. The evening then carried on with dancing, eating and drinking. After all her hard work, the queen was amused.

“When the court lined up, I enjoyed getting to meet everyone who was at the ball,” Thibodaux said. “I liked it because my parents are party people and they enjoyed it. The whole experience is fun because we have never gone through something like this.”

This Saturday will be the 42nd time the Krewe of Apollo will roll through residential Lockport. Monica Bourgeois, this year’s krewe captain, also said the Lockport parade has a “down-home feel.”

“We are what you would call a hometown family parade,” Bourgeois said. “We try and make it different than a New Orleans adult parade.”

Thibodaux said a majority of older riders in the Krewe of Apollo help create its “down-home” and “family” atmosphere. She also said the lack of younger riders has not meant a lack of partying. “A majority of them are pretty crazy and fun,” Thibodaux said. “Everyone is mostly older, and we are kind of like the young people in the parade.”

The 2006 edition of Apollo will feature two school bands, several pageant queens, 13 throwing floats, a krewe captain float, a maids’ float and Thibodaux, perched on top of the king’s float.

“We have seven pages on the float,” Thibodaux said. “They are getting specialty cups and doubloons to throw. Jared and I are mostly going to throw regular beads.”

Thibodaux has traveled this parade route before, but not in a gold evening gown. It was in a stiff band uniform while marching with Central Lafourche High School, but the years have passed and she has trouble remembering the specifics of the route.

“I have never taken that ride, just marched,” Thibodaux remembers. “It wasn’t really that long. There are just a bunch of little streets and turns.”

Thibodaux said her family is excited because this is a first for them too. No one from her family has ever ridden in a Mardi Gras parade. Both the king’s and the queen’s parents will be watching the parade with the mayor from the reviewing stand in front of Lockport Town Hall.

“Once the king’s float gets there we stop, and the mayor toasts us and everything,” Thibodaux said. “He also hands us the key to the town.”

After the parade the queen plans to retire to her king’s house and continue the partying with family and friends. Her reign will soon be over and a new queen will be chosen. Thibodaux will not be able to be Queen of Apollo again, but said she is looking forward to riding soon, even if she does not get the royal treatment.