Photos: The glitterfest that is Mardi Gras
The Mardi Gras season entered its last big weekend of parades and galas in New Orleans Saturday before its end at midnight Fat Tuesday, when Ash Wednesday ushers in the period of Lent leading to Easter. But before it all, across garages, kitchen tables and warehouses, residents feverishly sewed elaborate costumes, painted floats and decorated custom "throws" — the items float riders toss to the crowd by the handful.
— The Associated Press
Making Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras master float painter Raymond J. Bowie paints a float at Kern Studios in New Orleans, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016. Bowie has been painting Mardi Gras floats for nearly forty years. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Making Mardi Gras
Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, head of the Mardi Gras North Side Skull & Bone Gang, poses with his accoutrements for upcoming Mardi Gras day, in New Orleans, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016. Their costumes are intended to represent the dead, and Barnes said they bring a serious message, reminding people of their mortality and the need to live a productive and good life. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Making Mardi Gras
Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, head of the Mardi Gras North Side Skull & Bone Gang, poses with his accoutrements for upcoming Mardi Gras day, in New Orleans, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016. Their costumes are intended to represent the dead, and Barnes said they bring a serious message, reminding people of their mortality and the need to live a productive and good life. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Making Mardi Gras
Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, head of the Mardi Gras North Side Skull & Bone Gang, poses with his accoutrements for Mardi Gras day, in a cemetery in New Orleans, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016. Their costumes are intended to represent the dead, and Barnes said they bring a serious message, reminding people of their mortality and the need to live a productive and good life. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Making Mardi Gras
Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, head of the Mardi Gras North Side Skull & Bone Gang, poses with his accoutrements for upcoming Mardi Gras day, in New Orleans, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016. Their costumes are intended to represent the dead, and Barnes said they bring a serious message, reminding people of their mortality and the need to live a productive and good life. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Making Mardi Gras
Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, head of the Mardi Gras North Side Skull & Bone Gang, poses with his accoutrements for Mardi Gras day in a cemetery in New Orleans, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016. Their costumes are intended to represent the dead, and Barnes said they bring a serious message, reminding people of their mortality and the need to live a productive and good life. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Making Mardi Gras
Cari Rhoton, a lieutenant in an all-female Mardi Gras parade group known as the Krewe of Muses, creates one of the group's signature shoes from her garage in Kenner, La., Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016. Over 1000 members of the organization ride floats and pass out hand decorated shoes and other trinkets during Mardi Gras. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Making Mardi Gras
Cari Rhoton, a lieutenant in an all-female Mardi Gras parade group known as the Krewe of Muses, creates the group's signature shoes from her garage in Kenner, La., Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016. Over 1000 members of the organization ride floats and pass out hand decorated shoes and other trinkets during Mardi Gras. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Making Mardi Gras
An all-female Mardi Gras parade group known as the Krewe of Muses creates hand decorated shoes from a garage in Kenner, La., Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016. The Krewe of Muses has over 1000 members who ride parade floats. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Making Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras master float painter Raymond J. Bowie paints a float at Kern Studios in New Orleans, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016. Bowie has been painting Mardi Gras floats for nearly forty years. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Making Mardi Gras
Chief of the Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Tribe Tyrone Casby talks to his grandson Aiden, age 4, as he sews beads onto the costume he will be wearing for Mardi Gras at his home in New Orleans, Monday, Jan. 18, 2016. The Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Tribe is an African American group that celebrates Mardi Gras by dancing and performing in a newly created hand-made costume each year. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Making Mardi Gras
Chief of the Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Tribe Tyrone Casby sews beads onto the costume he will be wearing for Mardi Gras at his home in New Orleans, Monday, Jan. 18, 2016. The Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Tribe is an African American group that celebrates Mardi Gras by dancing and performing in a newly created hand-made costume each year. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Making Mardi Gras
Chief of the Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Tribe Tyrone Casby sews beads onto the costume he will be wearing for Mardi Gras at his home in New Orleans, Monday, Jan. 18, 2016. The Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Tribe is an African American group that celebrates Mardi Gras by dancing and performing in a newly created hand-made costume each year. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Making Mardi Gras
Ryan Ballard, founder of the Krewe of Chewbacchus Mardi Gras parade, makes adjustments to a hand made silicone tongue on a float at their headquarters at the Castillo Blanco Art Studios in New Orleans, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Making Mardi Gras
A costume worn by Chief of the Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Tribe Tyrone Casby in 2009 greets visitors to his home in New Orleans, Monday, Jan. 18, 2016. This costume depicts the white buffalo, a sacred animal in Native American lore. The Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Tribe is an African American group that celebrates Mardi Gras by dancing and performing in a newly created hand-made costume each year. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Making Mardi Gras
Ryan Ballard, left, founder of the Krewe of Chewbacchus Mardi Gras parade, works on a float with Keith Greene, King of Chewbacchus 2016, at their headquarters at the Castillo Blanco Art Studios in New Orleans, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Making Mardi Gras
Ryan Ballard, founder of the Krewe of Chewbacchus Mardi Gras parade, works inside their headquarters at the Castillo Blanco Art Studios in New Orleans, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Making Mardi Gras
Chanel Lafargue decorates coconuts, gorgeous pieces often referred to as "Golden Nuggets," inside her studio in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016. Lafargue has decorated tens of thousands of coconuts for her husband and his friends over the years. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Making Mardi Gras
Chanel Lafargue decorates coconuts, gorgeous pieces often referred to as "Golden Nuggets," inside her studio in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016. Lafargue has decorated tens of thousands of coconuts for her husband and his friends over the years. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Making Mardi Gras
Chanel Lafargue decorates coconuts, gorgeous pieces often referred to as "Golden Nuggets," inside her studio in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016. Lafargue has decorated tens of thousands of coconuts for her husband and his friends over the years. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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