By Barry Lemoine
on February 18, 2015:
AACK may sound like something you'd hear the day after Mardi Gras from too much revelry, but the origins of AACK actually started the morning of Mardi Gras with king cake and cocktails at Studio Inferno in Arabi. Since moving their businesses to Arabi last year, Gaudet and his wife, Erica, have been some of the area's biggest proponents, hosting events and
promoting the parish in all that they do. The AACK idea was another way to highlight some of the good things going on in St. Bernard Parish. So with that in mind, he invited a merry band of friends and artists to take part in making history - marching as a krewe to be part of the St. Anne parade, complete with bicycles and festive banners. There was also a simple costume request - men would don a fez while the women krewe members wore headdresses of their own creation. Gaudet also created signature glasswork for the occasion - a unique necklace commemorating the start of a new tradition. Gaudet said the idea was to have fun, but also to promote the neighborhood. He said he envisions an eventual march through Arabi as its own bicycle parade. But whatever it leads to, AACK 2015 got things off to a great start with a fun and playful romp through the city. Bill Haines, one of the group's founding members, said it was a great
way to spend the day. "It was the best way I've ever experienced Mardi Gras," Haines said.
