Plastic strings of beads have a newfound worth ... It can all mean only one thing − Mardi Gras season has arrived. The season, known as Carnival, runs from the Epiphany on Jan. 6 through ...

Along with beads, masks are an integral part of any Mardi Gras celebration ... and membership was initially limited to rich white people. As a result, many new krewes popped up during the ...