Mardi Gras Brings Thousands to Streets

Hundreds of thousands of tourists and locals mingled in the streets of New Orleans under sunny skies--costumed for the last four days of Carnival in styles ranging from discreet face painting and cartoon character outfits to lavish feathers and beads or trashy strips of leather, chains and little else. Across the southern part of Louisiana, parades and parties run continuously through Mardi Gras, the last Tuesday before the solemn Lenten season begins.