by Brad Rhines

The Krewe of Chewbacchus is usually just trying to set the hyperdrive straight for Carnival season around this time of year. But this year they'll have a few stopovers along the way to their annual Mardi Gras mission. On Saturday, sci-fi fans from across the galaxy will descend on Tipitina’s for the Krewe of Chewbacchus’ second annual Alien Beach Party, guaranteed to be the wildest party this side of Tatooine.

The event marks a new season for Chewbacchus, a season that includes several big appearances around town before their annual parade during the 2013 carnival. Normally a festive affair, organizers acknowledge a disturbance in the force, as the rival Mystic Krewe of PUEWC has announced plans to protest the event, which could reveal a dark side of the typically fun-loving carnival nerds.

NoDef talked to Ryan Ballard, also known as Space Commander Chewbaccacabra, Overlord of the Krewe of Chewbacchus, about what’s in store for the Alien Beach Party-goers. According to Ballard, the party will include appearances by interstellar Mardi Gras Indian tribe the Mighty Wookie Fi-Yo, performances by the Vajar Jar Binks Dance Team, music from all-girl ska-rockers Local Skank, and a lot more entertainment. Dr. Xavier Jenks of the New Orleans Bigfoot Society (N.O.B.S.) will emcee the event, along with his assistant, the City Park Sasquatch.  

“It’s become our official kick off for the upcoming carnival season,” said Ballard. “We’re going to open our membership, announce the theme for 2013, and start raising funds so we can start building all the cool stuff that we’re going to do for the upcoming year.”

Some of that cool stuff includes a “significant presence” at this year’s Voodoo Fest, where the Krewe of Chewbacchus will establish a Moon Base to show off their homemade contraptions and gather for impromptu parades. In November, the krewe will organize an art bike rally, where they’ll award the Chewbacchus Prize to the best build. Later in the year, the krewe will make their annual appearance at the New Orleans ComicCon, during which they’ll host a concert at the Howlin’ Wolf.

At the Alien Beach Party, the Krewe of Chewbacchus will also be raising money to build a Millennium Falcon Double Love-seat Contraption for this year’s celebrity rider, Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in the original Star Wars films. “The Wookie himself,” said Ballard. Standing over seven-feet tall, Mayhew requires something more than the traditional Chewbacchus contraption, and Ballard says the Millennium Falcon will be built on a golf cart frame to better accommodate Mayhew and his wife. The krewe has also launched a Kickstarter to raise money, and made a video highlighting some of their creative costumes and contraptions.

All of this excitement, however, isn’t without controversy. The Mystic Krewe of PUEWC (pronounced like “puke”) announced on Thursday that they’ll be outside protesting the event, demanding that Chewbacchus recognize the rights of fantasy and horror fans to parade with the sci-fi krewe, arguing that pop culture sources like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Dungeons and Dragons are essential to New Orleans’ all-nerd krewe. PUEWC, which stands for People for the inclusion of Unicorns, Elves and Whinebots in Chewbacchus, says the protest “is the result of failed negotiations between the two krewes to unite sci-fi and fantasy into what many had hoped would be an out of this world AND other-worldly super krewe.”

Ballard isn’t budging. “PUEWC is essentially a terrorist organization,” he said. “We refuse to deal with make-believe terrorist organizations. This aggression shall not stand.”

Unmoved by complaints that Chewbacchus unfairly dismisses the non-science fiction realms of nerdom, Ballard maintains that the krewe has its standards.

“We remain true to our sci-fi exclusivity,” said Ballard. “No unicorns, no elves, and no whining.”

Alien Beach Party 2 happens at Tipitina’s Uptown on Saturday, July 21st, at 9pm. $10 at the door. All forms of intergalactic beachwear and costumes are encouraged.