Krewe du Vieux has come and gone, and New Orleanians are in the mood to Mardi Gras. As we get to hopping around town for parades, parties and balls, we will find tourists learning the ropes around every turn. It’s important to be welcoming to those visitors and show ’em a thing or two about how we do Carnival in NOLA. Mardi Gras in New Orleans is an experience like no other in our country and we can be proud to share that experience with the many people thirsty to get to know our fervor and uniqueness. New Orleanians are people who are welcoming, friendly, helpful and inviting. It’s not in our nature to exclude.

(photo from iwinatcookie on Flickr)

Every year, Mardi Gras attracts a huge number of visitors that spend their hard-earned money in our city. Every one of those dollars is spent several times over, helping to make tourism the number one source of fuel for our local economy. If our inherent generosity isn’t reason enough to continue to be friendly to our guests, the important boost that their spending provides our economy is definitely one.

Don’t hesitate to give a smile and an insider Mardi Gras tip or two to some of the tourists you see enjoying one of our favorite times of year. Consider it a point of pride to show off our one-of-a-kind culture and the friendly, joyful attitudes that are the majority in our fine city. We are proud of who we are and what we have here in New Orleans.

Happy Mardi Gras!