Gallery
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
Mardi Gras is a celebration steeped in tradition and culture, one of America's biggest parties of the year. One of the most popular customs of Mardi Gras is the throwing of colorful beads from parade floats to the crowd on onlookers below, a tradition with an interesting history. The History Behind 5 of New Orleans’ Favorite Mardi Gras Traditions 5 minute read A person walks among beads during a parade on Feb. 17, 2017, in New Orleans. The throwing of trinkets to the crowds was started in the early 1870s by the Twelfth Night Revelers, and is a time-honored expectation for young and old alike. Read more. Mardi Gras throws are strings of beads, doubloons, cups, or other trinkets passed out or thrown from the floats for Mardi Gras celebrations, particularly in New Orleans, the Mobile, Alabama, and parades throughout the Gulf Coast of the United States, to spectators lining the streets. The "gaudy plastic jewelry, toys, and other mementos [are The History of Mardi Gras Beads. The tradition of throwing beaded necklaces dates back to the early Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans in the late 1800s. At first, the beads were made of glass and were much fancier and elaborate than the plastic beads used today. Plastic beads rose to popularity as recently as the 1960s. The first recorded bead “throw” occurred in the mid- to late-1800s. Then, however, krewes threw beads created with handmade glass from Czechoslovakia. These more delicate beads were supplanted by the plastic throws that now account for over $11.8 million in sales. By 1900, over 100,000 tourists traveled to New Orleans to participate in the celebration and to get some of their own Mardi Gras beads. Over the years, other Mardi Gras souvenirs have also been passed out to the crowds during the parades such as plastic cups, toys, Frisbees, figurines, and doubloons. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday” and refers to the ritualistic eating of generally unhealthy foods (hello, king cake) and meat before the traditional 40 days of fasting that accompany Known for its spectacular parades, floats, marching bands, throws, and King cake, Mardi Gras is the biggest celebration in New Orleans. The first recorded Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans took The 2025 Carnival Season -- marked by a weekslong pre-Lenten bash and complete with colorful parades, shimmery beads tossed from floats and streets lined with costumed revelers -- is reaching its conclusion on the Gulf Coast. Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. Other lasting customs include throwing beads and other The first in a new LSU Press series exploring facets of Louisiana’s iconic culture, Mardi Gras Beads delves into the history of this celebrated New Orleans artifact, explaining how Mardi Gras beads came to be in the first place and how they grew to have such an outsize presence in New Orleans celebrations. Putting the "mmm" in Mardi Gras The handing out of food along parade routes actually pre-dates modern Mardi Gras parades, to the rowdy processions of the 1930s, with masked paraders on foot There are a wide variety of beads at Mardi Gras. Most krewes toss out Mardi Gras beads, and some krewes even have their own custom beads (in the colors of their krewe) to represent them. The more traditional Mardi Gras beads were in the colors of Mardi Gras. Each color of beads has its own meaning! Colors of Mardi Gras. The first Mardi Gras Mardi Gras masks are more than just festive accessories—they carry a rich history and cultural significance. Every detail, Mardi Gras color and design tells a story, and the artists who craft The History of Mardi Gras Beads Mardi Gras beads have their roots in the medieval European tradition of throwing flowers and other decorations during Carnival celebrations. When French explorers arrived in New Orleans in the 18th century, they brought this tradition with them, adapting it to the local culture. The History of New Orleans Mardi Gras . Although the date of the first organized celebration of Mardi Gras in New Orleans is debatable, the 1730 account of one Marc-Antoine Caillot (a young clerk sent to Louisiana by the French Company of the Indies) mentions a celebration with music and dance, mask-wearing and costumes—including cross-dressing. In New Orleans, Mardi Gras is a time for celebration, and one of the most popular traditions is throwing beads. Beads are thrown from parade floats, and they are also given out to revelers who line the streets. The tradition of throwing beads dates back to the early days of Mardi Gras, and it is one of the most iconic aspects of the celebration. Glittering green beads fall from balconies, costumed crowds line parade routes, and jazz music fills the air—yep, you guessed it: Mardi Gras is here! Otherwise known as Fat Tuesday, this celebration draws scores of people to New Orleans every year for one big party. He provides history with the first written record of a Mardi Gras celebration in the New World. These plastic baubles are sought after and hoarded like wealth during Mardi Gras week. Thrown from parade floats all over Louisiana to anyone who displays a surplus of joy-de-verve, the iconic Mardi Gras beads are inseparable from the celebration.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |