'Written in the stars' Island's oldest krewe looks to the cosmos for this year's Mardi Gras theme

Hayley Hardcastle, royal committee liaison for the Knights of Momus, Galveston’s oldest Mardi Gras krewe, holds a 1986 coin featuring Bacchus riding a comet and this year’s Knights of Momus medallion featuring Bacchus paddling a crescent moon. Hardcastle has been designing the theme logos and coronation materials since 2010.

The Knights of Momus is Galveston’s oldest Mardi Gras krewe, and how it celebrates influences how the city celebrates.

This year’s theme is Carnival of the Cosmos, and it references the krewe’s 1880s origins along with its 1980s resurgence.

Hayley Hardcastle is the krewe’s royal committee liaison and has designed the theme logos and coronation materials alongside each year’s ball chairman since 2010. For this year’s designs, Hardcastle was inspired by mystical images from 1880s invitations and other imagery, she said.

“The original imagery features so many stars and moons; it really plays into the mythology of the god of Bacchus and the celestial wonder of the carnival season,” Hardcastle said. “One hundred years later, when Dancie Ware was crafting themes for the resurgence of Mardi Gras in the early 1980s, the theme was Carnival, Carnevale, or Carnaval, so we wanted to bring that word to our 2026 theme too as a nod to all of our historical roots.”

Invitations from the 1880s feature cherubs on clouds holding staffs topped with stars while Bacchus stands on a crescent moon. A star-shaped coin from 1986 has Bacchus riding a comet.

Hayley Hardcastle designed the themed medallions and invitations for this year’s Carnival of the Cosmos celebrations.

The Knights of Momus formed in 1871, with early celebrations including torch-lit parades and balls around set themes. Annual celebrations grew more elaborate, and people came from all over the South to celebrate until World War II, when Mardi Gras celebrations ceased, but smaller balls continued. In the 1980s, island-born oilman, developer, and philanthropist George P. Mitchell restarted the Knights of Momus and brought parades back to Galveston.

The Knights of Momus' annual theme influences the krewe’s celebrations for that year, providing inspiration for all elements of the ball and coronation events and the repainting of the floats and the beads for the parades. Each year, the incoming Momus president presents the themes to the executive board for approval.

“We were over the moon when the celestial theme was the winner this year,” Hardcastle said. “Fat Tuesday even falls on the Lunar New Year this year, so we really feel like it was written in the stars.”

Hayley Hardcastle’s initial sketches for the Knights of Momus’ 2022 themed throw bead. She has been designing the theme logos and coronation materials for the krewe since 2010.

Hardcastle’s husband, Jason, is the current president of the Knights of Momus. In announcing the theme, he highlighted the universal appeal of space.

“We invite you to embark on a journey beyond our world—a celebration of the vast, mysterious, and awe-inspiring cosmos that has captivated humanity since we first gazed upward.

“The celestial theme surrounding us is more than mere decoration—it represents our timeless fascination with the universe. From ancient civilizations that mapped the constellations to guide their travels and tell their stories, to modern astronomers who probe the deepest reaches of space, we are united across time by our wonder at the cosmic ballet unfolding above.”

Jason Hardcastle hoped people would take an explorer’s approach to this year’s celebrations, he said.

“Connect with fellow guests as celestial bodies connect in constellations. Share ideas that spark like distant suns. And perhaps, like those who study the night sky, discover something unexpected and wonderful in the process.” 

Original article by Coast Monthly by SHANNON CALDWELL