Mardi Gras 101: The Business of Beads, Balls, and Organized Chaos.

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We unpack how Mardi Gras actually runs: krewes as volunteer-driven engines, throws as branded inventory, and citywide logistics that keep guests delighted while operators manage risk and cost. The result is a playbook for festivals, hotels at peak demand, and large events under pressure.

• Krewes as nonprofit producers with bylaws, committees, insurance, and budgets
• Scale of floats, fleet management, storage, maintenance, and safety
• Throws as inventory, branding, and guest memory design
• Parade formats as market segmentation and audience strategy
• Royal courts and celebrity monarchs as media amplification
• Economic impact vs thin margins during peak demand
• Workforce access, parking, barricades, and shift design
• Industrial overnight cleanup and city reset operations
• Balls as dome-scale productions with major headliners
• Rider costs, discretionary spend, and participatory value
• Volunteer leadership structures and transferable skills
• Key lessons for hospitality under pressure

Until next time, take care of your people, respect the data, and always tip housekeeping

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