Mardi+Gras+Parades

While beads, costumes, and King Cakes are all great additions to Mardi Gras, the Carnival season would not be where it is today without its famous parades rolling through the streets of New Orleans.



Parades are put on by Carnival Krewes (or organizations). Each parade is unique to the particular traditions of each Krewe, but they all have a few things in common.

First, each parade will elect a King or Queen. These individuals are picked from the Krewe's members or some Krewes have chosen celebrities as the Grand Marshall.



Floats! All parades must have floats. Floats are designed around the Krewe's particular theme for the year.


 * [[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/wrzOtDQKQog9SnkvTZ_EyQ26467/GW338H338 width="338" height="338" align="bottom" caption="Mardi Gras Parades & Krewes - The History of Mardi Gras"]] || [[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/VxTvn8FyZgtZaesw2VQTQw173938/GW308H207 width="308" height="207" align="bottom" caption="Mardi Gras Parades & Krewes - The History of Mardi Gras"]] || [[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/21wmZxkB1tRyLTc22hW45Q27987/GW304H304 width="304" height="304" align="bottom" caption="Mardi Gras Parades & Krewes - The History of Mardi Gras"]] ||

Float design and decoration takes thousands of hours of preparation and work. The float preparations begin a few weeks after Mardi Gras for the next season.

The parade's Krewe members get the honor of riding on the floats, and they toss beads, doubloons and trinkets as the parade rolls down its route.


 * [[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/IPBaRvrfZZsfxewfZDOq2Q29717/GW150H150 width="150" height="150" align="bottom" caption="Mardi Gras Parades & Krewes - The History of Mardi Gras"]] || [[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/Pn885XoiLO8aArCIIL4DyA283844/GW239H179 width="239" height="179" align="bottom" caption="Mardi Gras Parades & Krewes - The History of Mardi Gras"]] || [[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/I03Ec_Pc2A-A9xS87kpsPw41013/GW218H218 width="218" height="218" align="bottom" caption="Mardi Gras Parades & Krewes - The History of Mardi Gras"]] || [[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/0nDiNzYUnkimVJl2kYP7bA32473/GW172H229 width="172" height="229" align="bottom" caption="Mardi Gras Parades & Krewes - The History of Mardi Gras"]] ||

A New Orleans parade would not be complete without MUSIC! This is provided by local high-school marching bands, and local bands.

In addition to the bands, there are usually several local dance school, which perform dance routines while marching.


 * [[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/UBzZTkTO9s8o6MIF27YmWg253875/GW500H500 width="500" height="500" align="bottom" caption="Mardi Gras Parades & Krewes - The History of Mardi Gras"]] || [[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/image/1/o9dQSOdlIEDW_-I9U1nmhQ179475/GW493H371 width="493" height="371" align="bottom" caption="Mardi Gras Parades & Krewes - The History of Mardi Gras"]] ||

Some parades have people in costumes riding horses in between floats.