The Krewe of Freret throws the coveted hand decorated mask to Carnival revelers as an omen of goodwill and in celebration of the crowd's commitment to the spirit of Mardi Gras. We throw our hand decorated creations to revelers so that they can either highly prize their catch for years to come, or so that they can wear the prized creation and quite literally #bemardigras.

Members of the Krewe of Freret have long been applauded as highly creative and artistic, and so to honor the incredible efforts put forth by this Krewe in decorating our signature throws, each year we hold an annual Freret Mask Award Contest by Shannon E. Thomas, exclusive to Riding members of the Krewe of Freret and the Krewe of Themis.

Below are our past winners. To view our Krewe’s other creations, please check out our Instagram!

WHO is Shannon E. Thomas???

Shannon E. Thomas is a painter and designer living in Amsterdam, the author of The Practical Guide to Experience Design, and founder of Artificial Design, of whom the Krewe is most proud to call long time supporter and member. She is a hands-on creative leader with a history of building diverse and effective teams, collaborating with business and technology partners, and establishing inclusive processes within organizations. Using curiosity, passion, and humility, she works with global clients across industries to define opportunities and deliver marketable solutions. To learn more about your judge, Shannon E. Thomas, go to https://shannonethomas.com.