Beads and Parades

Do you know where Mardi Gras beads come from? Like many of the best Mardi Gras traditions they originate in New Orleans. For centuries, people in Mardi Gras parades there would toss beads and other “throws” out to the audience. This makes people go wild and gets the parades really hopping – and if you have never seen a parade in New Orleans, let me tell you about it.

People in that city find an excuse to hold parades all the time. This is totally different than other places. In most cities, a parade is a central, citywide event. It is officially endorsed and streets are closed down for it. In New Orleans however, each neighborhood may have its own parade. The neighborhood has an official group that runs it, known as a krewe, and these groups often have professional performers, costumes and floats. However, they don’t all go at once on the same day. There can be dozens of different parades on different days and times for each holiday in New Orleans, and they aren’t always cleared with the city.

But the best part is the “second line.” In most cities, a parade is a spectator sport: if you aren’t officially in it, you stand to one side and watch. In New Orleans, when a parade goes by everyone watching just jumps right in and walks along. The official paraders are the “first line” and the tagalongs are the “second line.”

If you get a chance to go to one of these parades, jump in and join the crowd – and get ready to earn some beads!