Packs of beads are seen soaring through the air. You hear the screams of the crowds around you, yearning for that special throw. On every corner, citizens young and old dancing in the streets to classic New Orleans hits. To a tourist this may look like chaos; however, to a local, this is one of the city's favorite time of the year- Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is a yearly holiday celebrated in New Orleans during the spring season. The weeks leading up to Mardi Gras Day, the day before Ash Wednesday, is filled with parades and good times spent by all. These parades range from 30-50 floats complete with marching bands of local schools and dance teams, as well as floats throwing pounds of beads and trinkets off the floats into the enthusiastic crowds. Families and friends put up tents composed of food and drinks for the nearby people. Each tent would not be complete without classic Mardi Gras tunes blasting from speakers. Songs like "Mardi Gras Mambo" and "Jock-A-Mo" can be heard all over the festive city. Masses can be seen in popular neighborhood sites such as the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. In conclusion, New Orleans would simply not be the same without Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras adds originally to already diverse New Orleans.