we work with owner barry kern about how his family has been in the mardi gras business for generations. ♪ >> citizens of new orleans, welcome to carnival! ♪ >> mardi gras is a celebration that predates christianity. when i say christianity -- you have the pagan rites of spring and bacchanalia. people were willing to give up praying to certain gods, but they did not want to give up certain celebratory traditions. they did not want to give up celebrating the rite of spring, and that became carnival. it is latin for without flesh. fat tuesday is the day before lent. the day of mardi gras can change anywhere from early february to march, and it depends on the date of easter. 2wwe hear of mardi gras world in new orleans, which is the home of mardi gras, and home of the studios where we build and produced and stage most of the productions in new orleans. the mardi gras tradition itself came from france. it was a festival where people would celebrate right before the fasting of the lenten season. they would put on a costume, wear masks, give out candies, toys, trinkets. it grew from a small g