NEW ORLEANS NONPROFIT GIVES BEADS NEW LIFE AFTER MARDI GRAS The name reflects the tradition of enjoying foods on this day before entering a period of more restrained practices during Lent.

Mardi Gras is arguably the biggest, flashiest party in the country. With its grand parades, colorful beads, elaborate masks ... There’s also another sweet tradition you may have heard of ...

beads and balls. But Mardi Gras is more than parades and doubloons. In southwest Louisiana, many rural towns celebrate the tradition of courirs, where costumed men and women in handmade costumes ...

Whether you're celebrating in The Big Easy or on the Gulf Coast, you're going to see colorful floats and get an assortment of Mardi Gras beads. It's also a tradition to eat king cake — a braided ...