When I saw the list of Mardi Gras parades, I had no idea that many of them looked like this.

I’ve already mentioned how I had only experienced a sliver of Mardi Gras on my previous trips as a tourist. This year, I dug into the parade schedule to get an idea of the full list of parades, the routes and the timing so that I could figure out how to see a lot of different parades from different places, and yet somehow still survive Mardi Gras as a local.

St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA

But I had no idea that many of the parades looked like this: semis, pulling decorated trailers, blasting music and honking horns, a combination creating a vastly different experience from the other parades featuring decorated, themed floats pulled by tractors, marching bands and dance troupes.

St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA

It’s a side of Mardi Gras I didn’t know existed. And while it’s not my cup of tea, it’s an experience many obviously enjoy, because the streets were packed, people were grilling, the ladders were still there, and people were still yelling for beads, engaging with the riders, and celebrating Mardi Gras.

St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA