Parades, Floats, Costumes Mark Fat Tuesday in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — People across New Orleans are marking the culmination of the Mardi Gras season.

Floats and marching bands will parade down the city's St. Charles Ave. on Tuesday.

The Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club will kick off the parades at 8 a.m. followed by the Rex Organization's parade and then two truck parades.

Across the city, there are also smaller parades and festivities.

Mardi Gras is the city's biggest tourist attraction.

Thousands of people have converged on the city to see the elaborate parades in recent weeks and catch beads and other trinkets thrown by people on the floats.