This is the way to understand Mardi Gras Parades.
Even if you’re not in town for the actual festival, don’t miss your chance to go behind the scenes of one of America’s most renowned (and most raucous) celebrations. Mardi Gras World offers a close-up look at some of the flamboyant floats and costumes used during New Orleans’ famous party.
One thing to know upfront: This isn’t a museum – it’s a warehouse workshop where current floats are in the process of being completed and old floats are stored.
Just make sure to bring your camera: Before the tour, visitors are invited to try on authentic Mardi Gras costumes. After the tour, visitors are treated to a piece of king cake.
The tour starts with a brief movie showcasing the history behind New Orleans’ Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. The factory floor tour gives you a great insight into the making of the floats and the “props” that decorate the floats. The artistry extends from the very old fashion to the most modern of technology.
It’s very big celebration. The most recent season included 54 parades and featured 1,061 floats, 588 marching bands, and more than 135,000 participants. The combined parade routes covered 301 miles and the processions were on the street for 204 hours. In 2000, it was estimated that more than one billion dollars in spending was tied to Mardi Gras.
Perched on the edge of the Mississippi River in the lower Garden District, Mardi Gras World is open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with hour long tours offered every 30 minutes. Admission costs $22 for adults, $17 for seniors and $14 for children ages 2 to 12.
This was a pretty good tourist attraction. If you like floats and want to see them up close and in the making this is pretty neat.
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