Mardi Gras is famous for its beads. But there are much better ‘throws’ — the name given to the goodies flung from floats to eager spectators. A hand-decorated shoe from the Krewe of Muses is perhaps the most sought-after Mardi Gras treasure. Each unique shoe, adorned with glitter, feathers, bells and rhinestones, can take days for a Muse to make. Another desirable throw is the Zulu coconut, painted and handed out by the all-black krewe. Zulu used to toss them to revellers, but stopped the practice after a series of lawsuits, including one brought by a 74-year-old retired Orleans Parish teacher. In 2010, she alleged that being beaned on the head caused her to lose interest in Mardi Gras and have nightmares about flying coconuts.
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.