Britney to March

11/23/1998 at 12:00 AM EST

Louisiana native Britney Spears will join the Mardi Gras royalty on March 4 when she serves as grand marshal of New Orleans' Endymion Parade. With 28 floats, 42 marching bands and 5,000 participants last year, the Endymion Club boasts one of the season's biggest and gaudiest parades. (Its grand marshal last year was chef Emeril Lagasse.) Joining Britney in this year's procession will be the '70s pop stars Hall and Oates, New Orleans' own Neville Brothers, the swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and the band the Naked Martinis.