Every year around February tens of thousands flock to New Orleans to let their hair down and party at the annual Mardi Gras celebrations. People come to watch the parades which feature amazing floats which are the centrepiece of the carnival. Although you need to be in the Crescent City during the Mardi Gra to soak up the unbelievable atmosphere, visitors can see some of these beautiful floats all year round. Just over the mighty Mississippi from the city in Algiers is The Blaine Kern Mardi Gras world. Here dozens of the amazing floats and costumes are on display in all their glory. Some are huge there’s the 140 foot long sea monster Levithan and an even bigger 240 odd foot long Captain Eddies SS Endymion which includes tens of thousands of tiny fibre optic lights. Blaine Kern has been making parade floats for over 60 years, and the company even makes floats for some other cities and even Universal Studios where they are used in their Florida theme park’s street parades. Visitors to Mardi Gras world will see how these magnificent sculpture and figures are produced by very talented artists and trades people. Mardi Gras world is a must for anyone visiting beautiful New Orleans Read the rest of this entry »
