Mardi Gras Beads

Outside New Orleans, Mardi Gras beads are known to have one purpose and one purpose only.  But in the city itself, I found a surprising number of uses.  Bike decor, fencing, even a cemetery.  The beads came to symbolize the broader city itself, the same way one might hang a sports flag or wear a college sweatshirt.

Curious about the beads’ history? Check out Brendan I. Koerner’s piece in Slate: “Where do Mardi Gras Beads Come From?”