Beautiful bead fence in the Marigny
Day 17 – Bead Fences
There are many gorgeous iron fences in New Orleans, and you could spend days appreciating them as you walk through different neighborhoods in the city. As special as they are, some are made even more spectacular with the addition of Mardi Gras beads.
Many homeowners jazz up their houses during Carnival season by hanging beads along the fence. These bead fences are unique to New Orleans and they’re a fun and beautiful way to show your love for Mardi Gras. Some go with the typical purple, green and gold color scheme, while others are just a random mix of a multitude of colors. Some even celebrate a particular Krewe and feature this group’s beads prominently. Bright, colorful, shiny beads indicate that a fence has been recently decorated. It is impossible to see these and not want to be standing on St. Charles enthusiastically catching some of your own. You may also see bead fences that have lost some of their sparkle, likely nowhere near Mardi Gras season. These weathered, but still beautiful, beads are reminder that, even if it’s a 95-degree July afternoon, it always feels like Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
I am thankful for these festive reminders of good times from the past, and their subtle promise of exciting times that lie ahead.
This St. Charles fence is on the parade route.
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