A phone call in Rome brought a UA student to tears as she discovered she had been selected to rule over the celebration she had loved since childhood.
Tatum Reiss, a senior communications major minoring in equine studies, was selected as the 2025 Queen of Carnival for the Rex Organization in New Orleans, one of the city’s most prestigious Carnival krewes. The Queen of Carnival reigns alongside the King of Carnival (Rex) during Mardi Gras festivities.
Growing up in New Orleans, Reiss’s earliest memories of Mardi Gras celebrations were watching the Rex parade from the house at 2525 St. Charles Avenue and other parades across the street from her grandparents’ apartment.
Reiss said she remembers being 10 years old, watching the Rex Ball and Meeting of the Courts on television with Ellie Montgomery, who would become the 2024 Queen of Carnival.
“It is a full circle moment we are now the ones young girls watch on television,” Reiss said.
Reiss’s father served as Rex in 2022, which she said heavily influenced her perspective on Carnival traditions.
She said he gave her helpful advice to “stop and smell the roses,” always being present and cherishing every moment. He said that while there are a lot of events, speeches and obligations, she should always remember to have fun and enjoy the entire process.
“There is truly no one who loves Carnival and New Orleans more than him,” Reiss said, “and I try to emulate and show as much love and joy for Carnival as he does during my reign.”
When Reiss found out she would be the Queen of Carnival, she said she was not expecting it at all and felt so grateful to have even been considered.
“I at first did not really believe it until they said it again,” Reiss said, “and I immediately felt overwhelmed with joy and surprise. A lot of happy tears were shed.”
To continue the long-time Carnival legacy in her family is a dream come true, Reiss said. While other families have Thanksgiving and Christmas, Mardi Gras is the time for her family and community to celebrate together and create new memories.
Reiss’s role was particularly special as the first “Manale Monarch,” the first Queen to review the Rex parade from a new location at Pascal’s Manale restaurant on St. Charles Avenue rather than the traditional location. Pascal’s Manale is Reiss’s grandfather’s favorite restaurant, and she eats there often for family meals.
“I can be the start of a new and hopefully long-lasting tradition,” Reiss said. “I feel grateful to be a part of the evolution of Carnival and the maintenance and creation of traditions of the season.”
While attending school in Arkansas, Reiss stays connected to New Orleans culture by keeping cultural mementos in her house, keeping up with the city’s news and staying in touch with her childhood friends. She also makes an effort to travel home often.
Reiss said her New Orleans upbringing has shaped her perspective of other places she travels to, showing how unique New Orleans truly is and how much of a privilege it is to have grown up there.
“New Orleans and Northwest Arkansas are very different from each other,” Reiss said, “but both are close to my heart. I have a new perspective on new places I travel to because every place has its own culture and community, and it is important to recognize each of them.”
During her time in Italy, Reiss recognized the large European influence in New Orleans, which she said helped her adjust better to life abroad.
“I even designed my gown to have olive branches with crystal leaves, flowers, olives, and even two doves on the back of the gown as a tribute to my time abroad in Italy and to represent peace over the city of New Orleans and in the community,” Reiss said.
For Reiss, this honor is more than personal achievement – it is an eye-opening opportunity to be an advocate for the city and its rich culture.
“I felt very excited as the Queen of Carnival to represent a small part of a vibrant New Orleans culture,” Reiss said. “It is an honor to be part of the city’s history of Carnival monarchs and to continue to preserve and promote New Orleans culture.”