They are at every event, on every corner, in every parade. They’re decked out in festive hats; their eyes are hidden behind sparkly masks; bells bounce about on their costumes, announcing their presence. A genuine smile is on each face. A joyful “Happy Mardi Gras!” is the first thing any of them say before wrapping your neck with a string of beads.

The Mardi Gras revelers in Lake Charles, Louisiana, are an enthusiast group of folks who celebrate and share the festiveness of Mardi Gras all year long. They make appearances at community events and spread the sparkle of the Mardi Gras season long after the king cakes have been eaten and the costumes have been put away. But during Mardi Gras itself, the revelers are everywhere. They make appearances at all the planned community events in Lake Charles and even those that somehow spontaneously manifest themselves throughout the season.

They are a welcome sight, a reminder that Mardi Gras is a time to have fun, wear cheesy plastic beads and pull out all the gold, green and purple in your closet. You can’t help but smile when one of them pulls you close for a picture, then adds yet another string of beads to the your growing collection of Mardi Gras madness.

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