The annual Knights of Momus Coronation Ball in Galveston's Grand 1894 Opera House continued its zany traditions Saturday night as V.J. Tramonte, clad in Bermuda shorts and flip-flops, assisted ball captain Tom Koch in the "search" for King Frivolous XCVII. After members of the retinue, each in white-tie-and-tails, were rejected as candidates, Johnny Listowski of Galveston donned the crown and glittering robe of royalty.

The "South Beach Holiday" folderol included a more serious presentation of 20 college-age duchesses, each challenged and most succeeding in making the Texas bow (the unassisted deep dip with forehead almost tipping the floor). Shelby Schulz, a senior at Tufts University, escaped that fearsome task by being crowned queen. She and the duchesses shimmered (and later shivered) in stunning gowns created by Miwa Sakashita of Houston.

Founded in 1871, the Knights of Momus is Galveston's oldest Mardi Gras Krewe and while there was break in activity, the fun was revived in 1985. Founding members of the revived krewe still joining the party are Ken Shelton Jr., Doug McLeod, Jim Ware, Mike Doherty and Tramonte, along with honorary founding trustee Dancie Ware and honorary royalty trustee Joan McLeod.

Anouk and Jason Davis chaired the evening that moved from the historic opera house to an adjacent party tent for dinner and dancing. The one hitch on this windy, 45-degree night of over-the-top fun was that the tent had no heat, a minor inconvenience for the college crowd, which clearly knows how to fuel up on anti-freeze, but something of a chilling turn for more sedate partygoers.

Familiar faces among the royalty were duchesses from Houston and their parents — Taylor Anne Adams with Sharon Adams, Kelcey Mayell with Karen and Mike Mayell, Tessa Del Grande with Mimi and Robert Del Grande and sisters Katherine and Sarah Brock with Kathy and Dr. Gary Brock.

Among the 600 joining the Mardi Gras festivities were Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and wife Tricia (a former duchess); 2011 King Frivolous Tilman Fertitta and wife Paige; twins Carter Ware and Lane Ware, who carried (yes, carried) the queen on stage for her presentation; Kara and Aaron Howes; Brenda Koch; Karen and Mark Johnson; Katy Mayell; Kirsten Mayell; Catherine and Dr. Cenk Ozdogan; David Langworthy; Lonnie and Candice Schiller; and Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski and wife Rebecca.