From small towns to big cities, Fat Tuesday celebrated across La.

Across Louisiana today, a blend of local traditions and modern innovations put a distinctive face on Mardi Gras celebrations, which were first introduced in Louisiana in 1682 by French explorers. While national and world focus was on the raunchier parts of the festivities in New Orleans, families and neighborhood groups pressed on with celebrations that go back generations. In Baton Rouge, a walking parade passed through the historic Beauregard Town neighborhood. In Gheens, a community in Lafourche Parish, members of the Krewe of Gheens put on face paint, rode on a dozen or so homemade floats and chased people in a similar parade. In Lafayette, a costume contest kicked off the day’s festivities with several parades set to march through the day. In Lake Charles, the Motorcycles, Classics and Hot Rods Parade—open to whoever was there by noon—rolled in the afternoon, with the Krewe of Krewes Parade scheduled for later in the day. Houma had two parades on its schedule: the Krewe of Houmas, followed by the Krewe of Kajuns. And in Metairie, tens of thousands turned out for the Krewe of Argus parade and a train of truck floats that anchored the celebration in suburban New Orleans.