New Orleans. Bourbon Street. The French Quarter. Parade floats, funny masks, doubloons, king cake, and beads. LOTS of beads. All ring synonymous with the annual Mardi Gras festival in southern Louisiana. Each January, during the dead of winter for many parts of the U.S., tens-of-thousands of party goers flock to the streets of New Orleans (and several other prominent cities around the world that celebrate the event) to participate in the two week-long festival leading up to Fat Tuesday. @aaronfs1