Oooo, that smell!

Iwill always remember the smell of Mardi Gras throws. As a kid, we would go with my dad to his parade float loading, where MoonPies and serpentine were removed from their boxes and combined in oversized bags marked with the masker’s name— and usually float number and placement (driver side, up top). A lot of work goes into purchasing and delivering all your throws, and you don’t want your neighbor throwing $100 worth of your beads, after all.

We would climb over mountains of empty boxes, swipe handfuls of doubloons from unsuspecting dads and gorge ourselves on MoonPies while no one was looking. And all the while, the place would be filled with a smell that only occurs at Mardi Gras. It is best described, I think, as a mix of dusty cardboard, sweet bubble gum and cheap plastic. Mmmm, mmmm. And to this day, it puts me in a Carnival mood just to get a whiff.

Buying throws is half the fun of riding in a parade, but I am the type of gal who also thinks packing for a trip is half the fun, so maybe I’m alone here. I’ve never understood why someone would want to pay a single fee and have all their throws purchased, packed and delivered to the float. Concierge trinkets? No, thank you. I want to wander the aisles of Toomey’s, eyeing every rack of jumbo beads and imagining who I might throw them to. I want to pick out something special for my three kids, and to bag my loot myself — always beads on the bottom (heavy), MoonPies on top (no one wants a smooshed MoonPie). And when I do that, my house starts to have that musty, sweet, plastic smell I remember from when I was a kid that can only mean Mardi Gras is here.

In case you aren’t yet in the spirit, we’ve gathered enough Carnival content to turn your blood purple and gold. History, food, music and art all mingle with tips and tricks from lifelong parade-goers and maskers. It’s all here, ready to help make this season especially jubilant.

Let’s make Joe Cain proud.

Maggie Lacey EXECUTIVE EDITOR

maggie@pmtpublishing.com

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