Best Mardi Gras Throws

The best Mardi Gras throws include beads, doubloons, decorative cups, hand-decorated high heels, and rare Zulu coconuts. Krewes hand these keepsakes to crowds along parade routes during the roughly two weeks of parades before Fat Tuesday, which falls on February 17 in 2026. The Bayou Swamp Tours team rounds up the throws worth chasing.

Many of the New Orleans krewes work throughout the year to come up with creative items to toss during the parades. For regulars, it’s a challenge to collect all the different items, and some local businesses like to display their stash from parade throws in the window for all to see. Visitors coming to celebrate Mardi Gras for the first time enjoy bringing home parade items because they make for cool souvenirs.

For some specialty items, it can get competitive among spectators, and the whole family will have fun trying to catch the different Mardi Gras items. If you have small children, keep a close eye out, as the parade routes tend to be crowded. Consider bringing an empty backpack to store everything that you catch. Here is a shortlist of items commonly thrown during Mardi Gras parades.

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Mardi Gras Beads

By far one of the most popular items you’ll see being thrown at Mardi Gras parades is beads. These colorful beads are coveted by everyone attending the festivities. Mardi Gras beads can be found at many events around the city, not just at the parades. Note: Contrary to popular belief it’s not customary to flash your bare chest when asking for Mardi Gras beads.

Doubloons

Doubloons are a crowd favorite and first appeared in the 1960s. They are commonly painted in Mardi Gras colors purple, gold, and green. Make sure to watch out when these little pieces of treasure are being thrown as they tend to be scooped up quickly by both children and adults.

Decorative Cups

It’s also common to see decorative cups being thrown into the crowd. Don’t worry, the cups are made out of plastic. If you have the opportunity to see a collection of Mardi Gras cups you’ll notice a change in design from year to year.

High Heels

Keep an eye out for rare decorative high heel shoes. This specialty item might not be the best for walking around town in but they will look great as home decoration. Just be sure not to get hit with a flying shoe!

Zulu Coconuts

Another specialty item that many parade-goers seek is Zulu coconuts. You will only have the opportunity to get one during the Zulu Krewe parade and there is a limited number. The krewe spends a lot of time during the year creating these colorful coconuts. In the past, Zulu coconuts were thrown from moving floats, however, in recent years they have switched to passing the coconuts out to prevent breaking. You’ll have to be standing in the right place at the right time to get one.

Keep an eye out for other items such as sunglasses, purses, and even toilet brushes!

When Is the Best Time to Catch Mardi Gras Throws?

Mardi Gras 2026 falls on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, and the big parades roll for about two weeks beforehand, according to Mardi Gras New Orleans. The busiest throw-catching happens the final weekend, when the super krewes roll with the biggest floats and the most generous riders. Arrive early to claim a curbside spot along the route.

New Orleans welcomes roughly 18 million visitors in a typical year, and many time their trip around carnival, per New Orleans & Company. Weekday parades draw smaller crowds than weekends, so families with young children often have better luck catching throws midweek.

How Can You Catch More Throws?

Position matters more than luck. Stand near the start of the route where riders still have full bags, make eye contact with float riders, and wave both arms. Bring a sturdy tote or backpack, wear closed-toe shoes, and skip the umbrella, which blocks flying beads. Families should stake out a ladder spot early on parade day.

Catch etiquette keeps everyone safe: never reach into the street for a throw that has landed, and let children grab items that roll to the curb. Riders often reward creative signs and costumes, so dressing in purple, green, and gold can earn you a few extra keepsakes.

What Can You Do After the Parades?

When you need a break from the crowds, head out with Bayou Swamp Tours. Our swamp and airboat trips run about 90 minutes and leave from a dock roughly 30 minutes from downtown New Orleans. Small airboats hold 6 to 10 passengers, while large airboats carry 13 to 27 passengers, so groups of any size fit.

The tours glide through part of Louisiana’s roughly three million acres of coastal wetlands, which make up about 40 percent of the continental U.S. total, according to the USGS. You may spot some of the state’s roughly two million wild alligators, tracked by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries.