Krewe Of Highland Faces Probation Over Mardi Gras Rule Violations

A Shreveport Mardi Gras Krewe is put on probation for not following the local rules put in place by the Captains Council.

The Krewe of Highland is currently navigating disciplinary action from local Mardi Gras leadership after weeks of internal council disputes. The Northwest Louisiana Captains' Council placed the Krewe of Highland organization on probation. KEEL News has learned a second formal vote was held for a complete removal of the Krewe of Highland from the council, but that decision fell short of the necessary votes.

The dispute centers around annual coronation scheduling, and mandatory membership verification procedures. Regional organizers agreed to conclude all coronations by the middle of October...yet the Krewe of Highland scheduled their event for late October. Krewe of Highland founder Matthew Linn tells KEEL the by-laws of his Krewe says the primary goal is to support the neighborhood, and the only date they could get a venue in the neighborhood was later than October 11th, 2026.

Linn also questions the motives of the Captains Council. He says he did not think that panel was designed to be a disciplinary board. Rather, he thought the group was designed to help promote Mardi Gras.

Membership Rosters Spark Disagreement Among Mardi Gras Organizers

Council rules mandate that participating groups maintain at least 40 registered members to retain their legitimate operational status. The roster submitted by Highland leadership faced immediate scrutiny from council officials, who questioned the validity of the listed names.

Krewe of Highland Founder Matthew Linn maintains the organization holds over 3,000 members, but refuses to release full rosters...claiming he won't due to privacy concerns. Prominent names on the submitted list faced skepticism, including the listing of Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser as a paid member. But state officials later confirmed to KEEL News that the Lieutenant Governor is in fact a paying Krewe member.

Linn did say this dispute actually might be a good thing. The Highland Founder says "if we have to be on super secret probation, this actually is early promotion of Mardi Gras." He adds "If we all have to wear ankle bracelets, I think all 3 thousand members will do so, but they will most likely be neon or glow in the dark. But we'll wear them."

READ MORE: Krewe of Highland Urges Riders Not to Throw Beads

Penalties Impact Krewe of Highland Royal Court Access

The probationary status carries specific administrative penalties for the upcoming 2026/2027 Mardi Gras season. Highland leadership, and royal court members, will lose their complimentary access to other local Mardi Gras events put on by other krewes that are members of the NWLA Captains' Council.

The organization remains required to provide complimentary admission to visiting royalty attending the official Highland gathering. Organization leaders confirm their parade operations remain intact...citing over one hundred floats filled with verified members to satisfy necessary insurance mandates.

Linn says the Krewe of Highland has more than 3,000 members, but his board does not want to violate the privacy of those folks by giving out their names to the Captains Council. He says "it does a greater injustice to give away peoples names and violate their privacy."

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Linn says there are 130 floats in the Highland Parade and all of those riders are members of the Krewe. He says they have to be to satisfy the insurance requirements.

KEEL News has obtained the official notification of the probation from the Captains Council. Here is that letter: