But the highlight of the festival is the wild neighborhood street parades, which include marching bands and large floats with people decked out in extravagant costumes tossing beads into the crowd.
There are masked Mardi Gras balls and lavish dinners leading up to the big day. But the highlight of the festival is the wild neighborhood street parades, which include marching bands and large floats with people decked out in extravagant costumes tossing beads into the crowd.