Bienvenue à Lafayette! [Welcome to Lafayette]

Are you heading to Cajun country for a Stuller event this year? If you’re on your way to our headquarters here in Lafayette, , you may be asking yourself all the typical travel questions: What should I pack? Where can I eat? What is there to do when I’m not at Stuller? No worries, we’re here to help! What to pack

While a small part of the country experiences snow — yes, snow — on the first day of spring, temperatures in Lafayette stay in the mid-70s. As we head into the summer months, prepare for heat and humidity. So feel free to pull out those short-sleeve shirts, shorts, and flip flops! You may even encounter a pop- up afternoon shower (rubber boots, anyone?) Even our autumn months can remain a bit warm well into late-October.

What to eat

If this is your first time to Louisiana, prepare for a culinary delight! We highly suggest stopping at a restaurant (or two or more) that serves boiled crawfish anytime between January and June. While most out-of-towners run in the other direction, give crawfish a try. Don’t be afraid to pinch the tail and try a few! If you prefer a less hands-on approach to eating, give some of our other local restaurants a try. We recommend Blue Dog Café, Bon Temps Grill, Pop’s Poboys, or Johnson’s Boucaniere, just to name a few. After all, you are in the tastiest town in the South! Want to dine and dance? Visit Randol’s Seafood Restaurant for and dancing. Or visit six restaurants and get your local history fix in one fun trip by taking a ride on the Cajun Food Tour (rated #1 by TripAdvisor).

What to do

Cajuns love music, fun, food, and family! This attitude is summed up in five words: Laissez les bon temps roulez! Yes, we love to let the good times roll in Lafayette, and there’s always something to do around town – whether it’s a festival or live music event! Check out Lafayette Travel for upcoming events, along with everything there is to know about visiting our sweet little city!

Stuller’s own Chris DeRouen playing the accordion And if you aren’t into the music scene, there are still plenty other things to do like tour local historical sites, get up close to some Louisiana swamp life, visit some of our local breweries, tour the Tabasco plant, or check out a sports game featuring the University of Louisiana Ragin’ ! Whatever you choose to do, you are sure to have a good time.

For more things to do in Lafayette, visit LafayetteTravel.com

We can’t wait to see you, cher!

Have you ever been to Cajun Country? What do you recommend for other visitors to the area? Share your experiences in the comments section below!

Let’s Celebrate World Emoji Day!

Today marks the 4th annual World Emoji Day, celebrating the explosion in use of those little characters that have virtually changed the way we communicate with one another.

Fun fact: Did you know that July 17th was chosen as emoji day because it’s the date the calendar emoji always shows? #themoreyouknow

Fun Fact: July 17th is #WorldEmojiDay because it's the date shown on the calendar emoji! Click To Tweet

So what’s your favorite emoji? Our executive team weighs in below:

Danny Clark – President and Chief Operating Officer

The Tennis Ball

“Life is lived best when balanced with work and leisure. I’m an avid tennis player and try to practice 3 to 5 times a week, so my favorite emoji is undoubtedly the tennis ball.”

Kevin Metz – Chief Marketing Officer

The Smiley

“I like this smiley because above all, I think it’s most important to convey a positive and proactive attitude. And it’s the one I use the most.”

Tammy Kidder – Vice President of Back of Store Merchandising

The Wine Glass “Why do I like the red wine glass emoji? I’ll give you three guesses and you won’t need the first two. Ha ha.”

Belit Myers – Executive Director of Finance Operations

The Face Palm

“I like the laughing emoji because it reminds me that sometimes, you just need a good laugh. And the face palm because working with Danny Clark…”

Jennifer Tausch – Executive Creative Director

The Coffee Cup “I’m a Starbucks junkie and there’s probably more coffee in my veins than blood. Drink of choice: Trenta Cold Brew – Nectar of the Gods.”

Steven Domingue – Executive Digital Director

The Rock Emoji

“Because I love heavy metal, of course!”

Carl Lehnhardt – Diamonds Director

The Whiskey Glass

“Being a world traveler has brought me to trying many different things, whether it’s food or drinks. I’m currently on a fine whiskey kick. I spend a lot of time in the Zurich, Switzerland airport, and they recently opened a new lounge that carries over 150 different kinds of whiskey, so what else do you do when you have a four hour layover at the airport? Taste whiskey!”

What’s your favorite emoji? Drop it in the comments below. Don’t forget to hashtag #worldemojiday in all your social media posts today!

Greenery: Pantone® 2017 Color of the Year

In the midst of the bustle of the holiday season, Pantone announced its 2017 Color of the Year. Though hard to imagine, the rush of the peak selling season will soon pass and springtime will be upon us. With each new year, we are gifted with opportunities for renewal, growth, and restoration. This pick for Greenery as Pantone 2017 Color of the Year promises the same, as we look toward prosperity and unity. The vibrant yellowish-green color is fresh and energetic, bringing vivacity even during the bleak and barren winter.

Shop Peridot on Stuller.com

Pantone 2017 Color of the Year “Greenery bursts forth in 2017 to provide us with the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political environment. Satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate and revitalize, Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another, and a larger purpose,” says Leatrice Eisman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.

Pantone’s choice of Greenery embodies a natural, restorative element. Along with Greenery, Pantone assures us that the whole spectrum of green will reign king in the year to come. In fact, did you know that the human eye can distinguish more shades of green than any other color? The color green itself is altogether fresh and carries sentiments of harmony and positivity.

Greenery is Alive

The recent trend of nature-inspired jewelry has us falling like the leaves, making Pantone’s pick all the more logical. Greenery connects us to the earth and reminds us of the abundant vegetation that brightens our world. The shade promises to shine through all areas of our lives. Imagine the fresh green leaves in a summer wedding bouquet or the flowing green fashion flaunted on city streets. Even our new architecture approach takes its inspiration from the environment.

If gemstones could talk, we imagine peridot would be most excited about 2017’s signature color. The apple green crispness of this gem is a perfect expression of Greenery and its affordability makes it an ideal choice for fashion jewelry. Following suit, tsavorite garnet, emerald, tourmaline, and jade provide a green palette that complements Greenery. Its versatility pairs well with white, yellow, and rose gold.

Here are a few peridot pieces that are sure to make everyone green with envy:

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How do you feel about the new color of the year? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Information credit from Pantone®

Saint Patrick and His Jewelers

Saint Patrick’s Day means vastly different things to different people. For many of us here in the U.S., it’s Saint Paddy’s, a wild, Guinness-infused romp—a sort of Irish-American mini- . For the more devout, it’s The Feast of Saint Patrick, a day of reverence and churchgoing.

But isn’t it time we in the jewelry industry ask some pertinent and pressing questions—who exactly was this Patrick, and, even more importantly, who were his jewelers?

That may sound like a very silly question. But it’s only partially silly.

The story of Saint Patrick actually intersects with the world of jewelry in a number of important and intriguing ways. And that’s what we’re here to talk about today: the Saint Patrick of history and legend, and the fascinating jewels and jewelers that are part of his story.

Bishops and Bling

First, let’s address the leprechaun in the room: who was this fellow?

As with all saints, what we know of his life is a mixture of fact and—very beautiful and meaningful—fiction. A few basic points:

Patrick was a fifth-century Christian missionary of Romano- British heritage, who later became one of the first bishops in Ireland and, eventually, Ireland’s most famous patron saint. He most probably spoke a form of British as his native language.

Kidnapped by Irish pirates at the age of 16, he spent years as a slave, herding cattle for an Irish overlord. Eventually, he escaped and returned to Britain, but not before thoroughly absorbing Irish language and culture and deciding to devote his life to spreading Christianity. Although, once again, the border between history and legend remains murky, with Patrick considered the central figure in spreading Christianity in Ireland after converting thousands of people and founding hundreds of churches. In legend, he assumes supernatural proportions, performing a number of miracles, the most famous being the banishing of all snakes from Ireland.

But What About The Jewelry?

As anyone with a passing knowledge of historical jewelry knows, religions have engendered some of the world’s most glorious jewels. The is no exception, and jewels have always figured prominently in the regalia of upper-echelon prelates, such as bishops, archbishops, and, of course, popes. Anyone questioning the ecclesiastical appropriateness of jewelry or gemstones need look no further than the Old Testament, which is famously full of interesting ritual usages for gemstones and jewels (think of the golden rings cast for the Ark of the Covenant, or thebejeweled breastplate of the Hebrew high priests).

The cross pattée: the cross most commonly associated with St. Patrick

Patrick, as a senior prelate, likely owned his fair share of ecclesiastical jewelry. Bishops and other upper in the early wore pectoral crosses—large, ornate crosses worn on a chain across the chest (the ancestors of the tiny ones folks wear today). Patrick, in particular, is associated with a certain cross type, the so-called “cross pattée,” which features arms that flare outward as they extend from the center. It may be the case that Patrick himself wore a large, ornate, pectoral cross pattée of the sort that remains prominent in Irish iconography.

A gilded crozier

Bishops also had ceremonial croziers, curved staffs with crooks, sometimes gilded and covered in jewels. According to legend, Patrick’s crozier was none other than the Bachal Isu, the Staff of Jesus, which he reputedly received from a hermit who had received it from Jesus himself. An ancient, bejeweled staff believed to be Patrick’s was housed for centuries at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin before being burned during the Protestant Reformation. Episcopal rings

Established churchmen also wore a variety of ecclesiastical rings. Bishops, in particular, when ordained by a cardinal, received a so-called episcopal ring (episcopal meaning ‘having to do with bishops’). Episcopal rings are and have been quite large gold rings, either stone-set or engraved for use as a signet. Bishops inherited the episcopal rings of their predecessors, and many beautiful and ancient rings were passed down this way through the centuries.

Saint Patrick In The Jewelry Business

Saint Patrick, however, apparently had few predecessors and thus little in the way of glorious jewelry to inherit. As a missionary in a pagan land, where the Roman church had yet to build up a significant following, much less a store of ecclesiastical treasure, it fell to Patrick not just to convert souls, but to create the precious ritual equipment of Catholicism—the altars, the tabernacles, the bejeweled chalices and patens and pyxes for the bread and wine, the golden shrines for holding the fragile bound Gospels, not to mention the bells that would call the flock to worship.

To do this, of course, he needed jewelers. Or, at least, he needed the early medieval equivalent of jewelers—skilled goldsmiths, coppersmiths, and bellfounders who had the technical knowledge to create the items that a growing church would need. It comes as no surprise, then, that two of Saint Patrick’s best-known disciples, Saint Asicus and Saint Daig, were apparently highly skilled metalworkers.

Again, although their stories are a blend of folklore and fact, what they represent is important: the fusion of ancient Celtic and Scandinavian metalworking artistry into a creative vessel for Judeo-Christian history, religion, and culture. The result was a mighty artistic explosion that influences Irish art and culture to this day.

Saint Asicus

Often called Tassach or Tassac, we celebrate Saint Asicus as Patrick’s chief ironworker and coppersmith, also revered as the patron saint of coppersmiths. Converted to Christianity by Patrick, he receives credit for the original ecclesiastical ornaments in many of the early Irish churches, including the one in Elphin, Ireland, where Asicus later became the first bishop.

Saint Patrick’s Bell Shrine

Hagiographers (people who research and write about saints) point especially to Asicus’s reputation as a sought after bell-maker, or bellfounder. The expanding church needed church bells, and people with the necessary casting skills were in high demand.

So, it may have been Asicus who cast one of the most famous Irish relics, Saint Patrick’s Bell. Believed to have belonged to Patrick himself, the simple iron bell resides today in the National Museum of Ireland, accompanied by its magnificent gilded and bejeweled shrine. Jewelers will perhaps bemost interested in the shrine, a beautiful example of hybrid Celtic/Scandinavian artistry, complete with filigreed gold patterns and large rock crystals cut en cabochon. Although they appear elsewhere in Christendom, Irish bell shrines are particularly famous—for their beauty, craftsmanship, abundance, and, of course, their unique Irishness.

Saint Daig

The Domnach Airgid

Another of the chief relics associated with Patrick is the Domnach Airgid, a shrine that once contained what was believed to be Patrick’s personal copy of the Gospels. Like bell- shrines, book-shrines combined beauty and functionality in the service of the expanding church, protecting parchment from Ireland’s notoriously damp climate. Although the Domnach Airgid was likely crafted hundreds of years after the death of Patrick, book shrines were extremely common in the early days of the church in Ireland as well.

In fact, we celebrate another of Patrick’s disciples, Saint Daig, as a fabricator of particularly beautiful and effective book-shrines. As Daig’s legend goes, he became trapped as a boy in a monastery fire and initially believed dead. When the fire finally subsided, however, he was discovered completely unharmed. The abbot, Saint Mochta, then prophesied that Daig (which means ‘great flame’) would become a celebrated craftsman in the service of the church. And the prophecy came true:

Afterwards Daig became a celebrated artificer. This holy man is said to have fashioned no less than one hundred and fifty bells, and one hundred croziers. He likewise made cases or covers for sixty Gospels—i.e., books containing the writings of the four Evangelists. Such is the O’Clerys account, and in confirmation of it they quote an Irish quatrain, of which the following is an English translation :—

“Thrice fifty bells, victorious deed,

With one hundred strong-ringed croziers,

With sixty perfect gospels,

By the hand of Daigh alone.”

Besides these, it is stated, that he manufactured shrines, cases, chalices, pyxes, dishes, altariola, baculi, crucifixes, and chrysmals. We are informed, moreover, that while some of these were plainly made, others were highly wrought with gold, silver and precious stones, which were added as ornaments to them. (Lives of the Irish Saints, Volume 8) Why All This Matters For Us

So the point of all of this is that we in the jewelry business have very good reasons to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. The history of Irish metalworking is fascinating and deep, extending far into the reaches of pre-history, and it remains relevant to people today interested in expressing Irish identity through jewelry.

Whether today finds us piously revering the goodly saint by singing solemn hymns at mass in our parish church, or raucously celebrating the wild Irish spirit by singing bawdy ballads in the local pub, or both, jewelers can take heart in the fact that their medieval forefathers played a mighty role in the story of Ireland’s most famous holy man.

So let’s raise a glass and toast to them and all of the beautiful things they created.

Ever wondered why we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day? Find your answer here!

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brassington, William Salt. 1894. A History of the Art of Bookbinding: With Some

Account of the Books of the Ancients.

“Celtic Metalwork Art: History, Characteristics of La Tene, Hallstatt Cultures.” 2016.

Accessed March 14. http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/irish-crafts/celtic-metalwork -art.htm.

Colm. 2016. “The Domhnach Airgid, An Early Irish Book Shrine | Irish Archaeology.”

Accessed March 14. http://irisharchaeology.ie/2015/02/the-domhnach-airgid-an-ear ly-irish-book-shrine/.

Freeman, Philip. 2004. St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography. Simon and Schuster.

Hourihane, Colum. 2001. From Ireland Coming: Irish Art from the Early Christian to the Late Gothic Period and Its European Context. Princeton University Press.

Jones, Andy, James Gossip, and Henrietta Quinnell. 2015. Settlement and

Metalworking in the Middle Bronze Age and Beyond: New Evidence from Tremough, Cornwall. Casemate Publishers.

Lovett, Richard. 1891. Ireland Illustrated with Pen and Pencil. Hurst.

Marcella. 2013. “Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae: Saint Daigh of Iniskeen, August 18.”

Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae. August 18.

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York. N.Y.) 1977. Treasures of Early Irish Art,

1500 B.C. to 1500 A.D.: From the Collections of the National Museum of Ireland,

Royal Irish Academy, Trinity College, Dublin. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

O’Hanlon, John. 1873. Lives of the Irish Saints: With Special Festivals, and the

Commemorations of Holy Persons. James Duffy. Warren, Frederick Edward. 1881. The Liturgy and Ritual of the Celtic Church.

Clarendon Press.

Bench Jeweler Workshop 2016

We’re thrilled to release the first batch of exhibitors that will be joining us on the demo floor and in the some of the classroom sessions throughout our 2016 Workshop.

Platinum Guild International

Platinum Guild International is a worldwide marketing organization dedicated to creating, expanding and strengthening consumer and trade markets for platinum jewelry.

Orion Welders

Orion Welders manufactures innovative, powerful, and easy-to- use Micro Welding Solutions. The precision and control of the Orion Pulse-Arc welders make them ideal for a variety of applications including retipping prongs, resizing rings, closing links, filling porosity, welding dissimilar metals, repairing eyeglasses, and many other manufacturing and repair jobs.

United Precious Metal Refining United is a leading supplier of masteralloys , de-oxidized sterling silver, solder and wire products. In addition United is a full-service refiner for your precious metal needs. United’s success in the precious metal industry is due to exceptional levels of detail and uncompromising customer service. The technical expertise at United is unparalleled in the jewelry industry.

Rofin

With 40 years of experience in laser technology, ROFIN has successfully focused its strategy on being an innovative leader in the industrial laser market and has consistently demonstrated its determination to deliver the most powerful and innovative manufacturing tools to a wide range of industries.

Gemvision

In 2009, Stuller partnered withGemvision Corporation, a jewelry software technology firm based in Davenport, IA. Through this partnership, Gemvision’s industry-leading technology is coupled with Stuller’s unmatched ability to set industry standards for providing products and services to the retail jeweler, including but not limited toCounterSketch Studio and Matrix.

TDM Solutions

TDM Solutions is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain and includes a global network of dealers and trainers operating in more than 25 countries. TDM focuses on providing CAD solutions to a variety of industries such as jewelry, automotive, casts and molds, prototype, footwear and general mechanics. Design applications are RhinoGold, Clayoo, RhinoNest, RhinoEmboss and Skinny3D. Stuller acquired TDM solutions in 2015.

Jewelers of Louisiana Jewelers of Louisiana exists to foster and promote business growth, professional integrity, and consumer confidence in the jewelry industry by combining the forces of the ethical jewelers and suppliers engaged in business in the state of Louisiana.

Stay tuned for more exciting announcements on additional exhibitors, classes and Battle of the Benches. Remember that the deadline to submit an entry for consideration is January 15th. For more information, head to Stuller.com/Workshop or call our Tech Team at x4300.

We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat

It’s HERE! The best week of the entire year is upon us. Stop everything because it’s SHARK WEEK!

My obsession with all things shark began way back in grade school – so far back that I can’t actually remember how or why it started. But while other girls were playing with Barbie dolls I was playing with my plastic sharks (which I could name by species, not to brag).

My parents and friends have always just gone with it. Maybe they thought I’d grow out of it.

I haven’t. In fact, as I’ve grown up and become a SCUBA instructor, it’s intensified.

I own 23 shark-related books.

Many of my research papers throughout school have been related to sharks and shark conservation.

As a kid, the first thing I ever saved up my allowance for was a fossilized Megalodon tooth (still my most prized possession).

If there’s a shark in the movie, I’ve seen it. Even if it’s the most horrible movie ever. I’m talking to you, Sharknado.

I have dressed up as a shark on more than one occasion. Were you at JCK? Did you see that girl with the shark backpack? That was me.

Most of my birthdays have included something shark-y My mom always gets me Shark Week surprises (Ex. My bathtub … I was 22)

I have been shark diving in the open water four times (and still have all my limbs). Sharks are friends!

Finally, my graduation present from college was cage diving with Great Whites in South Africa. GREAT WHITES, PEOPLE! This was the best thing ever out of all the things. Seriously, I have since had a little life crisis because what do you do with yourself after your #1 dream actually comes true?! Y’all … I went cage diving. With Great Whites. What? Is this real life? YES, IT WAS REAL LIFE. I love real life. Okay, I’ll compose myself. I just … I can’t even. It was everything I thought it was going to be in more. I will never, ever, ever forget the moment I saw my first Great White. They are so majestic and powerful and graceful and awing.

So what are your Shark Week plans? Have a favorite shark? Share with us in the comments section. And look for part II of this series next week!

Stuller Bridge 2016

Would you like your business to grow? Are you ready for change? Then find your way to Lafayette, LA, and we’ll take care of the rest! That’s right! We’ll pay for your hotel and meals, all while you learn how to bring in more sales!

If you came to Bridge, you might recognize these cool pics (and maybe see yourself in one of them). If you didn’t attend Bridge, this is just a taste of what you missed. But don’t worry: You have five more opportunities to visit us in 2015. Register here today!

If you attended Bridge, share with us your favorite memories in the comment section below!

Saint Patrick and the Luck o’ the Irish

Leprechauns, clovers, parades, food, beer, and even green fountains — these are just some of the things that come to mind when you think St. Patrick’s Day. But what’s the story behind the day we celebrate on the 17th of March every year? Who is Saint Patrick and what made the world celebrate this day? Meet Saint Patrick

Although historians say it’s hard to determine when exactly Saint Patrick was born, it is believed he was born in the late 4th century A.D. in Scotland. He was brought to Ireland as a child after being captured by pirates, who sold him into slavery in Dalriada. During his enslavement, Saint Patrick was devoted to Christianity; becoming determined to escape slavery and free the Irish from Druidism by converting them to Christianity.

It would be six years before Patrick actually escaped slavery and reunited with his family in England. He later joined the priesthood and was eventually sent back to Ireland to spread the Christian Gospel. He promoted Christianity in Ireland by electing Church officials, creating councils, founding monasteries, and organizing Ireland into the dioceses. After 40 years of teaching the Gospel, Saint Patrick died on March 17, 461 A.D. in Saul, Ireland.

Now known as the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick is known for baptizing hundreds of people in a single day, then using that famous shamrock — the three leaf clover — as a way to describe the Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. A Lasting Tradition

Since his death, the Irish have observed St. Patrick’s Day as a religious holiday by attending church in the morning and celebrating with food and drink in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, here in America, the first-ever St. Patrick’s Day observation took place in 1762, when Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through the streets of New York City. The party of parades, food, and drinks would only grow from then, going global in 1995, after the Irish government began a campaign to market St. Patrick’s Day as a way of driving tourism and showcasing Ireland’s charm with the rest of the world.

To this day, March 17th is an international day of celebration. Every year millions of people around the world celebrate in numerous ways, whether it’s attending church, and feasting, or putting on their best green to attend parades, drink green beer, and celebrate the Irish culture. Shop Emerald on Stuller.com

How do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Share your stories with us in the comment section. Also check out St. Patrick and his jewelers here.

Throw me something, mister!

As if all the holiday excesses weren’t enough (oh, don’t pretend you didn’t eat too much at Thanksgiving), we Cajuns start celebrating Mardi Gras season on the Feast of the – a mere 12 days after ! It’s six weeks of rich, fatty (and therefore delicious) food, lavish balls, festive parades with ornate floats, and all-around merriment. The entire season culminates on Mardi Gras day (French for “Fat Tuesday”), when we really do it up before , the beginning of the penitential season of .

You might associate Mardi Gras with , the city known for its extravagant parties and raucous parades, but Lafayette and other communities throughout have their own unique celebrations. Here in Lafayette, Mardi Gras krewes maneuver their giant floats all over the city while kids and grown-ups alike shout, “Throw me something, mister!” in the hopes of scoring beads and doubloons. Mamou, Church Point, Basile, and other small towns in the area celebrate Fat Tuesday with the Courir de Mardi Gras (“run of Mardi Gras” in English). This fascinating tradition involves – among other unusual activities – convening at sunrise, donning crazy costumes, riding horses, brandishing whips, and chasing chickens (yes, really). Mix with copious amounts of alcohol, and you have a recipe for hilarity. Of course, with horses and buckets of hurricane cocktails, things can sometimes go awry (uh, not that I’m speaking from experience or anything), but on the whole, the Courir de Mardi Gras is ridiculously fun.

At Stuller, we celebrate Mardi Gras with – what else? – food. (No, I’m not telling you how much I consumed this season, but in the words of Shakira, “hips don’t lie.”) Departments throughout the building join in the festivities by decorating their spaces with purple, gold, and green streamers. And on the big day itself, we bring crockpots with , links of boudin (a yummy Cajun sausage), platters of cracklin, and lots more. It’s the kind of experience you’d expect from all the fun-loving folks who work here.

Even if you don’t celebrate Mardi Gras where you live, all of us at Stuller wish you the reverie of the season. And if you’ve never been to Louisiana for the big day, I hope you’ll consider coming next year. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Have you ever been to Louisiana for Mardi Gras? Tell us about your experience in the comments section.