Mardi Gras Beyond The Beads New Orleans Magazine

In the final episode of season 5, Errol and Rich discuss the inception and history of the meeting of Rex and Comus, as well as the ball that is televised each Mardi Gras night. Additionally, they cover the meeting of Rex and Zulu each Lundi Gras, and Errol's new book that covers it all.

In 2024, three Carnival krewes are celebrating big milestone anniversaries. In this week's episode, Errol Laborde and Rich Collins dive into the history of the krewes of Carrollton, Mid-City and Okeanos, as well as an important date for Rex.

What impact does the "Greatest Free Show on Earth" have on the city and state? We talk to Tulane University economics professor Toni Weiss about the economic impact Carnival has on the city and her new study that took a deep dive into the financial side of Carnival and provides all the notable numbers. 

Since the early 20th Century, the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club has been a prominent figure in Carnival culture. From the meeting of the Courts every Lundi Gras to throwing their famous coconuts each Mardi Gras day, Errol and Elroy tackle all aspects of the krewe both in and outside of the Carnival season.

In the first episode of Season 5, host Errol Laborde speaks with Barry Kern, CEO and president of Kern Studios. The Kern family has had a long relationship with Carnival in New Orleans since the early 1900's.

Barry's father Blaine Kern started Kern Studios in 1947 and quickly became the city’s leading parade designer and builder, working with legendary krewes like Rex and Zulu.

With Barry at the helm, Kern Studios now builds parade floats each year for 18 different Carnival krewes.

This episode, Barry talks about the history of the company, Carnival 2024 and the extra creations made for businesses all over the world.

From Ash Wednesday to super krewes, old-line parades and cabinets full of plastic Mardi Gras cups, for our final episode of 2023 we are looking at Carnival from A to Z. In this super-sized episode, Errol and Rich cover anything and everything Carnival, including a guest interview with The Historic New Orleans Collection's Lydia Blackmore, curator of Decorative Arts, who discusses the history of Carnival ladders.