"Come see where Mardi Gras is made" at Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World. They ain't kidding. When you turn into the parking lot, this gator greets you. Just a hint of the wonders inside.

Blaine Kern, who we were assured was "very much still alive", and his company makes a huge portion of the floats and props (props are the oversized object that go on floats) for Mardi Gras.