METAIRIE – Family Gras made history Sunday night when a brand new Metairie parade, the Krewe of Kings, rolled through the crowds.  Seventeen floats were decorated with the inaugural theme of “Royalty.”

The new location at Clearview Center (right in front of the soon-to-be-closed Sears) made it possible for floats to roll right down the middle of all the festivities.

Other benefits of the new location: the vendors’ market was bigger than in previous years,  there was plenty of parking, and despite the rain on Friday and Saturday, there was no muddy lawn to deal with on Sunday, when the sun came out to shine on a perfect final day of Family Gras.

Country music star Brett Eldredge performed in front of a packed crowd to wrap up the event, ending just a few minutes before the first signs of the Krewe of Kings parade. During the last few songs, Eldredge and his band members wore beads thrown to them from the crowd.

“We work really hard to get a great lineup because we want to be sure to have something for everyone,” says Jefferson CVB President and CEO, Violet Peters.

She called Eldredge “an amazing get” for the event. “It’s a big deal for us to have him at Family Gras and we’re delighted.”

Eldredge capped off an impressive weekend lineup that also included Michael McDonald,  John Oates and B.J. Thomas.