The annual festival of fun that is Mardi Gras dominates the whole city, with celebrations taking place for about two weeks before and through Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras in French), the day before Ash Wednesday. The celebration was brought to Louisiana by early French settlers, and the first record of the holiday being celebrated dates to 1699. However, these early settlers probably would not recognise the current incarnation of the carnival with its floats and somewhat debauched reputation!
The most famous part of Mardi Gras is the parades that take place, and over 500 floats are built and decorated each year. If you want to see these floats in all their glory but have missed the carnival, head to Mardi Gras World where since 1947, the artists based here have built some of the biggest examples.
Situated in a large, warehouse-style building on the banks of the Mississippi, Mardi Gras World is part of the studios of Blaine Kern. In the 1940s, he painted a mural on a hospital wall as partial payment for his sick mother's medical bills. This mural was seen by a float captain who asked him to work on a design for the next Mardi Gras parade. He soon became a world-renowned artist and will forever be associated with the vibrant floats that wow the crowds. Today, his studio has branched out to make props, some of which you can see at Disneyland other major theme parks.
This fun and well-thought-out exhibition starts with an overview of the history of Mardi Gras, before a one-hour guided tour that takes you through the float den where the studio artists work year-round to build the floats and props. The scale of the floats and the vibrancy of the colours and designs are dazzling.
Mardi Gras World is open daily, except major public holidays and Mardi Gras itself. There is a complimentary shuttle with designated pick-ups downtown and in the French Quarter, or reach the venue on a streetcar, getting off at John Churchill Chase Station.
