Flaming torches carried by slaves illuminated Mardi Gras parades of old. Carrying these “flambeaux” soon became a performance art, with bearers prancing and twirling their torches alongside the floats and collecting pennies from the crowd. Today, flambeaux carriers still accompany night-time parades, and even accept the odd coin from onlookers.
Eight Things You Didn’t Know About Mardi Gras
Fat Tuesday in New Orleans is famous as a flamboyantly louche street celebration. But there's much more to it than booze and beads.