Unique New Orleans Attraction
When you think of New Orleans, probably the first thing to come to mind is the celebration known as Mardi Gras.
To get the feeling of Mardi Gras year-round, you have to visit Mardi Gras World, the largest float designing and building facility in the world. It is here where more than 80 percent of the floats that journey down New Orleans' streets during the Carnival season are designed and built. Making this a very unique New Orleans attraction.
Begun in 1947 by float designer and builder Blaine Kern, Mardi Gras World provides visitors with the opportunity to don authentic Mardi Gras costumes and tour enormous warehouses filled with floats. The tour includes a short video and guide who is quite knowledgeable about Mardi Gras history and customs. And for a taste of Mardi Gras, king cake and piping hot New Orleans coffee are served.
During the tour, visitors learn about the many traditions surrounding Mardi Gras parades, balls and music, as well as the intricacies of float designing and building. Mardi Gras floats began rumbling down New Orleans streets in 1837 with mule-drawn carriages. Today the tradition continues with sophisticated mega-floats, which hold more than 200 masked riders and are lit with fiber optic cables and laser lights.
Since 1947, our artists and craftsmen have designed and built the oldest and biggest parade floats and attractions for each Mardi Gras season, with over 500 floats built and decorated each year. When you begin your Mardi Gras World tour, you’ll get an overview of the history of Mardi Gras in New Orleans before continuing through our float den, where our artists work year-round to build spectacular floats and props. You never get this close to the floats while they’re rolling in Mardi Gras parades, and this is certainly the only place to see how these amazing pieces come to life each year. When you’re sightseeing in New Orleans or looking for fascinating tours in New Orleans, this is something you just can’t miss. Come see where the Mardi Gras magic is made!
This is a fantastic opportunity for any student to learn an authentic tradition that has put New Orleans on the map. Start planning your trip today!
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