The Krewe of Flats East Bank is excited to announce James LeBlanc and Sydney Martin as the King and Queen of Mardi Gras Cleveland 2023. 

Born and raised in Cleveland, Sydney radiates with hometown pride. She is currently attending Case Western Reserve University to earn her masters in Public Health while she assists with research in life-saving clinical trials at University Hospitals. Upon graduation, she intends to focus her career on emergency management as a public servant to our community. 

A native to New Iberia, Louisiana, James is proud of his strong, Cajun heritage and cherishes his childhood memories of traditional Mardi Gras celebrations with his friends and family. After meeting in the Atchafalaya Basin in the swamps of Louisiana, Sydney convinced James to make Cleveland his home. As Cleveland’s proudest transplant, James works as an applications specialist for a Cleveland-born trucking company and is excited to honor his roots in his new hometown. 

Recently engaged, this couple embodies the fusion of traditional Mardi Gras values into the melting pot of Cleveland’s culture. The King and Queen invite you to experience an authentic Mardi Gras celebration with them here at Flats East Bank on Saturday, Feb. 18th. 

For details, visit mardigrascleveland.com.