Neighborhood band director Keith Thomas has edged out political powerhouse Cedric Richmond to be elected King Zulu for Mardi Gras 2027, winning a nail-biter club vote announced Sunday from the balcony of the Zulu clubhouse on North Broad Street. Thomas secured 350 votes to Richmond’s 299 to become the 111th King Zulu, and he is set to preside over the Krewe of Zulu’s parade on Mardi Gras morning, Feb. 9, 2027.
Close Vote Read From Zulu Club Balcony
Members cast ballots at the club, and the results were read from the clubhouse balcony once the tallies were in, according to NOLA.com. The dramatic announcement capped weeks of internal campaigning and officially locked in the krewe’s royal lineup for the next Carnival season.
A Local Music Teacher Takes the Crown
Thomas is the band director at John F. Kennedy High School, where he leads the marching program, a role that local reporting says keeps him closely tied to Carnival music and the city’s school band scene, per The Lens. He also spent the spring campaigning within the krewe and appeared at Zulu events listed by WWOZ, underscoring his long-standing roots inside the organization.
High-Profile Challenger Brought Name Recognition
Richmond, the runner-up, is a practicing attorney and former U.S. representative who served from 2011 to 2021 before going on to work in the Biden White House, according to Wikipedia. His campaign leaned on that public-facing experience and national profile, but Zulu members ultimately opted for Thomas’ deep, day-to-day ties to the krewe.
Looking Toward Mardi Gras
The result keeps the krewe’s Carnival traditions rolling and hands Thomas a full slate of ceremonial duties for the upcoming season, in line with the role described on the Krewe of Zulu website. With the vote settled and the crown spoken for, planning and rehearsals now ramp up for Mardi Gras, which NOLA.com reports will fall on Feb. 9, 2027.
