It was Feb. 25, 2020, when New Orleans last celebrated Mardi Gras day as residents and tourists normally would: with Zulu, Rex, a St. Ann’s costume contest and so much more throughout the day.
But it was that same normal Carnival season that caused COVID-19 to spread, put New Orleans on the map for being a virus hotspot and would eventually lead to the cancellation of parades the following year.
This year, Fat Tuesday is back, albeit with mask and vaccine mandates. To mark this historic return of Carnival season, the New Orleans Public Radio team put together a gallery of Fat Tuesday festivities and beyond.
![A giant float featuring a woman with her hair in rollers is driven down a New Orleans street.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1ed372e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3120x2080+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F43%2Fe5%2Fb81b9af24502ab44183cdaeb6f20%2Fimage0-6.jpeg)
Katelyn Umholtz
/
WWNO + WRKF
![People dressed in wigs and costumes dance on the side of the road during a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b2dd7fa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3120x2080+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F22%2Fb1%2F4f91e4f5491aacc3590d7252b0da%2Fimage1-6.jpeg)
Katelyn Umholtz
/
WWNO + WRKF
![Women wearing elaborate feathered headwear toss items to a crowd during a Mardi Gras parade.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8711b4e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6016x4016+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F53%2F85%2F958de33946abb7417453ecb920d9%2Fdsc-9349.jpg)
Halle Parker
/
WWNO
![People reach out for beads and other objects thrown from a green float that has a sign that reads "We got the beat" on the side.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/91ba894/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3120x2080+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1f%2Fee%2F2cba24b949cbb6107be37dcf1d70%2Fimage0-5.jpeg)
Katelyn Umholtz
/
WWNO + WRKF
![Drummers, some in costume, perform in a circle during a Mardi Gras parade.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f1b0c04/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x3024+0+0/resize/880x660!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F63%2F3f%2F4cbaa55b427b918aede637dd0700%2F20220301-105313.jpg)
Rosemary Westwood
/
WWNO
![A man on a bicycle tows a long silver float draped in white cloth down the street during Mardi Gras.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/26c63f0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x3024+0+0/resize/880x660!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F57%2F74%2F5a693c6a4a4caf7863d181d58a72%2Fimage-from-ios.jpg)
Carly Berlin
/
WWNO
![A king and queen stand on an elaborately decorated white and gold float as people shoot fake money at them at a children's parade.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a563ae5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1800x1200+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fda%2F3b%2F4897001448d1bfc14212d890c45b%2F20220227-montegutchildrenparade-123.jpg)
Kezia Setyawan
/
WWNO
![A crowd cheers as beads fly through the air at a children's parade.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/97c6230/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1800x1200+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3d%2F61%2F34943cf14620923c6b83dcc4ed9a%2F20220227-montegutchildrenparade-191.jpg)
Kezia Setyawan
/
WWNO
![A woman and man dressed in white formal costumes and wearing crowns hand framed proclamations to two men in dark suits.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/44df5e8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1800x1200+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fca%2F7b%2F39e6d89e4552a4be5a2eecf21963%2F20220301-montegutbonneterre-58.jpg)
Kezia Setyawan
/
WWNO
![Three people stand on a float with "American Red Cross" and the iconic Red Cross painted along the side.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1e40ac1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1800x1200+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff1%2F13%2F96c3e0884f07bec27297e9e23dda%2F20220301-montegutbonneterre-86.jpg)
Kezia Setyawan
/
WWNO
![A woma dressed in an elaborate blue feathered costume stands on a float against the night sky.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e045070/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1800x1200+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffb%2F8c%2F6ed4502a41cbaa74ee2f94836b92%2F20220226-endymion-68.jpg)
Kezia Setyawan
/
WWNO
![A crowd of revelers in costume reach into the night sky to catch items thrown from brightly lit floats.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/12c1b3b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1800x1200+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F13%2Fb8%2Fc88b525843f1b1ecec29fe00f105%2F20220226-endymion-109.jpg)
Kezia Setyawan
/
WWNO