Mardi Gras Beyond The Beads

About Mardi Gras Beyond The Beads

A dive into the history, tradition and modern celebration of New Orleans Carnival – The Greatest Free Show on Earth.

Publisher

New Orleans Magazine

Category

history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 Jan 2020

Latest episode

11 Feb 2026

Latest episodes

42 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   11 Feb 2026

   S7, Episode 5: How Carnival Has Evolved in America

   In this part two with Carnival historian Errol Laborde, we pick up right were we left off and the start of Carnival in the states. Errol takes us by way of Philadelphia – with a stop in Mobile – through to the celebration of Carnival and Mardi Gras as we know it today. Plus, he shares a few of his favorite Carnival food pairings - champagne and a Moon Pie, anyone?

2. 

   4 Feb 2026

   S7, Episode 4: Inside the King Cake Hub

   Jennifer Samuels became one of the go-to people for king cake when her and her husband Will sarted the King Cake Hub. Following Will’s passing in 2021, Jennifer decided to continue the business in his honor and has grown the hub to a must-visit for each Carnival season. This episode of Beyond the Beads Ashley  caught up with Jennifer to talk about the hub, what they have to offer and some new things people can see this year in their new Mid-City location.

3. 

   28 Jan 2026

   S7, Episode 3: The Beginning of Carnival As We Know It

   Errol Laborde is a famed Carnival historian with a knowledge that span thousands of years and countless books. Arguably, very few know more about the beloved celebration outside of Errol. This week, we tapped into his vast knowledge of the subject to start from the very beginning. In this two-part interview, we'll discuss where the concept of Carnival originated and how it ended up in Louisiana, while sharing an appreciation for our Mobile, Alabama counterparts.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

29 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

45

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact Mardi Gras Beyond The Beads

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.