Lily Claire Hutchison will reign over the 2026 Mardi Gras festivities in Lafayette. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Larcade Hutchison, Evangeline the LXXXVII, Queen of Carnival, has three siblings: Kate Barry Hutchison, John Hayes Hutchison and Hayden Scott Hutchison.

Hutchinson is a native of Lafayette. She attended Cathedral-Carmel School and St. Thomas More Catholic High School, where she graduated with scholar honors in 2025. Her activities at St. Thomas More include four years as a cheerleade and was a member of the Cougar Competition team. She served as spirit coordinator for the competition team her senior year, and was awarded the distinction of UCA All- American Cheerleader at UCA cheer camp at the University of Alabama. She was a UCA National Finalist in Orlando for three years. She was also an avid tumbler throughout school, participating in both competitive tumbling and recreational tumbling for a combined 14 years.

Hutchinson participated in campus ministry, serving on both the Light and Quest retreat teams, and as a senior mentor to freshmen as a bible study leader.

Hutchinson is a freshman at Louisiana State University majoring in business administration with plans to attend law school. She is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority.

“I hope to go to law school and to become a lawyer,” she said.

Hutchinson and her family share a lifelong love of Mardi Gras and Carnival season. In 2024, she was a debutante in the Krewe of Gabriel’s fall presentation. She was also presented as a maid in Les Brigands de Lafitte in 2025.

Her family’s involvement in Mardi Gras festivities spans generations. Her mother, Angela Barry Hutchison, was a debutante in the Krewe of Gabriel fall presentation. She was presented as a maid in Les Brigands de Lafitte, and as a royal maid to Queen Evangeline the LVII. Her father, Scott Hutchison, has been a member of the Krewe of Gabriel and a float rider in the King’s Parade on Mardi Gras Day since 2003.

In 2016, Hutchinson’s brother, Hayden Scott Hutchison, was a royal page to Queen Evangeline LXXVII in 2016.

Hutchinson said even though she has a lot of Mardi Gras experience, she was not expecting a visit from the Queen’s committee.

“It was a complete surprise,” she said. “I completely did not expect it.”

Hutchinson does expect that she will thoroughly enjoy every minute of her time as Queen Evangeline.

“My love of Mardi Gras came from growing up watching the parades, going to balls with family and friends, and seeing the maids, and the costumes,” she said. “That’s what I’m looking forward to most. Experiencing all of it with my friends. It’s just so much fun.”

The list of involvement by Hutchinson’s grandparents on both sides is long. Her grandfather, James Hutchison, is a member and float rider in the Krewe of Gabriel and has served as a royal duke to King Gabriel LXXVII. He also reigned as king of the Mystic Krewe of Louisianians in Washington, D.C in 1997.

Her grandfather, Arthur Barry, became a member of the Krewe of Gabriel in 1979 and served as royal duke to King Gabriel XLV in 1984. Her great-grandfather was a member of the Krewe of Gabriel and a member of The Order of the Troubadours. He reigned as King Richard Coeur de Lion IX in 1953.

Hutchinson’s great-grandfather was honored as a royal duke to King Gabriel XIX in1958 and served as commodore of the krewe in 1966.

Hutchinson said she is honored to have been chosen as queen over the second largest Carnival celebration in Louisiana. But she is hoping for one more blessing.

“I’m just praying for good weather,” she said. “I’m looking forward to sitting in the stand with all of my friends and greeting our king on a beautiful Mardi Gras day.”