The Mardi Gras tradition of throwing beads is thought to have started ... thanks to the crowds of revelers on Bourbon Street. Overindulging is due, in part, to the city’s lax laws on the public ...

FILE – Revelers throw beads from the balcony of the Royal Sonesta Hotel onto crowds on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras festivities in the French Quarter in New Orleans, March 8, 2011.

In a city of around 400,000 residents, Mardi Gras weekend can easily welcome over 1 million visitors from around the world. In addition to the Bourbon Street changes, the report highlights ...

Many visit for the revelry of Mardi Gras in February —but the beads ... In general, though, NOLA residents steer clear of Bourbon Street and go to bars on Frenchman Street.