I am planning a trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras and I've heard about all the different parades and not sure which ones to attend.  I'm particularly interested in the parades that offer beads and other forms of free things that the parade-goers give out.  Can you recommend the top parades for beads and free items? 


Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a fantastic experience.  There are numerous parades that offer beads and other free items to the crowd, often characterized as "throws."  Below are some of the top parades for catching beads and other throws.  Note, that the specific throws often vary depending on the parade,  but here are the top parades to expect:

1. **Endymion:** One of the largest parades,  characterized by a massive crowd.  Expect a lot of beads, glittering bling and stuffed animals.  If you're planning on catching a lot of throws,  make sure to get a spot on the Uptown route,  characterized by the 1.7-mile route along the neutral ground,  characterized by the 1.7-mile route along St. Charles Avenue.  Expect to experience the 40-inch decorated floats.  40.  expect the decorated 40. characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized  characterized