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I was at Orpheus Krewe last year and this is what I discovered about where to stand for the best throw, when to get there, and how to navigate the whole shebang!
Plus, I found a balcony party that I could get tickets to if I wanted to be above the marble-throwing crowds in the French Quarter.
Shrove Tuesday falls on February 17, 2026 this year and is the last day of Mardi Gras before the Wednesday when Lent begins.
Yes. Mardi Gras is all about the Easter calendar, and in New Orleans we celebrate Lent like no other place on earth!
The Mardi Gras parade begins five days in advance and concludes with the final event on Tuesday. There are major parades once or twice a day for five days until Shrove Tuesday.
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Last year I stood on a float dressed as Oompa Loompa throwing beads, stuffed animals, plastic cups and all kinds of tattoos at the crowds along the way. And no, no one flashed their boobs. It was actually very family friendly. That’s because we were nowhere near Bourbon Street!
It was an experience I had never experienced before. For me and all of us in the parade it took 12 hours and we really enjoyed every minute of it. You can see my photos in this post.
I was with the Orpheus krewe (crew!) and our parade had about 25 individual floats, each with blaring music and each with their own toss bag. Each float also has a restroom! That’s not what I used. I just got dehydrated.
In some parades, throws are in high demand and true fans know exactly where to stand, when to scream to get the thrower’s attention, and how to throw and take home the prize.
Thousands of people line the parade route. So, if you’re like me and are stuck for the first time, this post will help you get your head around it!
What you need to know before going to Mardi Gras
First, the parade doesn’t actually go through the French Quarter. The streets are too narrow for that, but since the area is closed to traffic, you can wander along the street and catch a toss from the balcony above during Mardi Gras. Early morning is a fantastic time to take photos when there are no cars parked in the narrow streets.
Roads are closed around and throughout the French Quarter. We were staying on Canal Street and the taxi from the airport found a way to get us as close as possible and as we went through security we had to walk with our luggage for about two blocks through a fenced off area.
As a result, don’t think you won’t be able to ride any type of transportation to and from the parade. Especially if you want to cross Canal Street into the French Quarter.
If you need a ride, you’ll need to get off the main route and call Uber. Uber will then circle the wide perimeter and bring you as close as possible from the other direction. It’s organized chaos!
Security was extremely tight in 2025, as horrific acts of violence had occurred on New Year’s Eve just a few months earlier. We expect the same results this year.
A place to throw away your Mardi Gras loot!
You can also participate by purchasing a balcony party ticket. If you’d like, check out Bourbon Street Bali Rentals for stand-up tickets on the balcony, which include a bar and buffet.
Or purchase tickets to our next balcony party:
Mambos Balcony at 411 Bourbon Street.
Mardi Gras Balcony Experience at the Old Absinthe House on February 14th.
Shorty Gras with Trombone Shorty and Frerette’s Crew at Mardi Gras World on February 7th.
Krewe of MAC Mardi Gras Ball at Ponchartrain Center
Where to stand along the parade route for the best throws
We left the Mardi Gras Museum building around 6pm but waited for nearly an hour as the floats in front of us began their procession at a slow walking pace. We were told not to start throwing until we turned onto Napoleon Ave towards St Charles.
Generally they all follow the same route (the days have changed due to weather conditions). The floats start rolling in Tchoupitoulas, turn right onto Napoleon Ave, then on St. Charles, past the beautiful homes of the Garden District, turn right toward downtown, turn right onto Canal Street toward the river, and finally turn right on the canal and follow the convention center.
You’ll see many people getting ready hours early, taking all their loot home with sun loungers, trolleys and suitcases.
Don’t worry if you’re not in the front row. The cart is two stories high and I have never thrown anything at people standing in front. I couldn’t see them!
What should I take with me?
If you plan on spending the afternoon/night, you’ll need a portable chair and a loot bag. If you want to see the whole crew go by, bring water and snacks and plan to be there for a few hours.
If you have children, bring games they can enjoy in the closed off streets while you wait for things to get going. There are touts selling souvenirs and light fixtures to keep the kids busy.
You’ll also see some cool ladder chairs that some enterprising grandpa would have originally made, and can now be purchased so every child can sit high enough to see the action. Maybe even throw it once or twice.
Since the tossing doesn’t start until the parade gets to St Charles – at least in earnest – I’d say go up to the top end of St Charles near Napoleon. The best tends to come out first, but to combat this, we’ve saved some of the special ones.
Canal Street is a confusing place. I know this from my experience observing and watching from aboard one of the other parades. The whole pile of plastic cups was coming loose, and with more force about 10 of them hit my arm.
The remaining throws at this point are not the best throws. But if it’s colorful plastic beads you’re looking for, you’ll find them next to the grave.
By the time the float left the canal and headed to the convention center, the black tie dinner and party was underway, and all we had left were the beads. Millions of beads.
I would also say that if you don’t catch the flying necklace and it falls to the ground, it will break. There’s too much broken beads and plastic waste for the sanitation workers who come every night to clean the streets so they can start again tomorrow.
Tips for catching a thrown ball
Bring a net. I’m not kidding. One of the most entrepreneurial things I saw on the top level of the float was a man holding a large net and signs for us throwers to aim for. Genius, we achieved our goal!
Make eye contact with the thrower. That way, there’s a good chance they’ll project it directly at you. Then it’s really nice to give them a thumbs up or say thank you. Throwing these things around for hours is exhausting!
Make sure the marble doesn’t touch the ground. Doing so will cause it to break most often.
Oh, and scream all you want. But don’t expect Cruz to listen to you. My husband was standing on the corner of Napoleon and St. Charles, as we had promised, and I almost threw something at him. But I couldn’t find him. But he could see me and he was screaming so much that people around him joined him. MEGAN They screamed. I didn’t hear anything. To be fair, I was standing in front of the amp blaring our hits and could barely hear my mates next to me throwing out anything.
Where to Stay During Mardi Gras
Ideally, you would want to rent a house in St Charles. That would be my best suggestion. I met two women who drove from Ohio with their friends. They were beaten up on the parade route, had beach chairs, and could take bathroom breaks and refresh their Yeti cups. But be prepared to pay foolish money.
we are Sheraton Hotel We were on Canal Street (Garden District side) and purchased VIP passes, which meant we had access to the bleachers at the front. This is a good idea if you don’t want to wait for hours to see the best views and don’t mind grabbing too much loot.
Click here to view Sheraton room rates. >
Otherwise I would stay in the French Quarter but not on noisy Bourbon Street. You’ll spend most of your day there eating, shopping, throwing a ball, and taking photos of the amazing character of this part of NOLA, especially without a car.
In this post, I’ve picked seven great French Quarter hotels that I’ve stayed in or toured.
Read more of my New Orleans posts.
Our next visit to Crescent City will be our 10th. Here are a few other posts I’ve written and continue to update to help you find fun things to do while you’re there.
The ultimate guide to things to do and see in New Orleans
How to Have a Great Christmas in New Orleans
My 4 Favorite Music Venues/Bars in New Orleans
How to Spend a Day in New Orleans – If That’s All You Want!
