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Mardi Gras in New Orleans is one of the most celebrated Carnivals in the world.
Carnival season in New Orleans starts on the Twelfth Night or the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6). On this date king cake parties begin with balls and parades following soon thereafter. New Orleans carnival season gets in full swing two weeks before "Fat Tuesday" or the start of Lent. The largest and most elaborate parades take place the last five days of the season. In the final week of Carnival many events large and small occur throughout New Orleans and surrounding communities.
The parades in New Orleans are organized by Carnival krewes. Krewe float riders toss throws to the crowds; aluminium or wooden dollar-sized coins usually impressed with a krewe logo called a doubloon, decorated plastic cups, and small inexpensive toys. The most coveted throws are the large colorful beaded necklaces. These necklaces most often cause people to do just about anything to get one. If you come to New Orleans you may also want to try for a Zulu coconut.
While many tourists center their Mardi Gras season activities on Bourbon Street and the French Quarter, none of the major Mardi Gras parades pass through the Quarter because of the narrow streets and overhead obstructions. Instead, major parades originate in the Uptown and Mid-City districts and follow a route along St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street, on the upriver side of the French Quarter.
To New Orleanians, "Mardi Gras" refers only to the final and most elaborate day of the Carnival Season; visitors tend to refer to the entire Carnival as "Mardi Gras." Some locals have thus started to refer to the final day of Carnival as "Mardi Gras Day" to avoid confusion.
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