It’s time to dust off your Mardi Gras beads! This annual celebration will take place on Feb. 21st, the day before Ash Wednesday.

Rich with local tradition, the first Mardi Gras was held in New Orleans on February 24, 1857, and involved a parade with an unconventional float — a bull’s head pushed in a wheelbarrow. The parade is now characterized by armfuls of beads, elaborate floats and large crowds.

Find local spots to celebrate Mardi Gras in the Calendar of Events list below, which is compiled by AAA travel editors. Search for additional event listings at AAA.com/Travel.

As the Louisiana expression goes: “Laissez les bons temps rouler,” or “Let the good times roll.”

ALABAMA
Feb. 10-21 MOBILE  Mobile Mardi Gras (AAA GEM event)—More than 200,000 people crowd into the city to watch parades and catch souvenirs thrown from floats.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (800) 566-2453. $.

Feb. 21 GULF SHORES Mardi Gras Parade—Enjoy Fat Tuesday with a morning parade in Gulf Shores and an afternoon parade in Orange Beach.  Location: Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Contact: (251) 968-6904. Free.

CALIFORNIA
Feb. 18-19 NEVADA CITY Mardi Gras—Offerings include a parade, a masquerade ball, a street fair and Cajun food.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (530) 265-2692.

Feb. 18-March 5 SAN DIEGO San Diego Brazil Carnaval—Featured at this Brazilian Mardi Gras Ball are Samba and costume contests, capoeira demonstrations, bands and parades. Location: 4th and B Showcase Theater. Contact:  (619) 224-4684. $.

COLORADO
Feb. 18 BRECKENRIDGE Mardi Gras Bacchus Ball—This New Orleans-style masquerade ball features music, dancing and food.  Location: Beaver Run Resort. Contact: (888) 251-2417.$.

Feb. 18 MANITOU SPRINGS Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo Cook-Off and Carnivale Parade—The flavor of Louisiana comes to Colorado with a Mardi Gras-style celebration and a competition in Cajun food preparation. Location: Soda Springs Park. Contact: (800) 642-2567. Free.

FLORIDA
Feb. 17-18 LEESBURG Mardi Gras "Party in the Street"—Pet and children's parades, the Main Mardi Gras Parade, street performers and a New Orleans marching jazz band are just some of the festive offerings.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (352) 365-0053. Free.

Feb. 18 DELAND Mardi Gras on Main Street—This annual event includes the Dog Masquerade Parade, and a costume contest for pets and their humans. Dixieland jazz and Cajun food round out the fun.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (386) 985-4247. Free.

Feb. 18 PENSACOLA Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade—This family-oriented parade attracts some 100,000 onlookers.   Location: Downtown. Contact: (850) 436-7638. Free.

Feb. 19 PENSACOLA BEACH Krewe of Wrecks Mardi Gras Parade—Colorful  floats, and bead-, candy- and doubloon-throwing are just some of the offerings.    Location:  Pensacola  Beach Boulevard. Contact: (850) 932-1500. Free.

Feb. 21 PENSACOLA Krewe of Lafitte Illuminated Mardi Gras Parade—The Pirates of the Krewe of Lafitte man the floats and take to the streets of downtown Pensacola.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (850) 436-7638. Free.

ILLINOIS
Feb. 18 GALENA Galena Mardi Gras--Snow Sculpting—Watch as professional and local snow sculpting groups turn blocks of snow into works of art.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (888) 942-5362. Free.

Feb. 18 GALENA Galena Mardi Gras Parade—The Krewe of Carnival float and other participants, and lots of beads are featured. Location: Downtown. Contact: (800) 942-5362. Free.

KENTUCKY
Feb. 17-18 COVINGTON MainStrasse Village Mardi Gras—Celebrate Mardi Gras MainStrasse Village style. Cajun food, entertainment and parades--all in the spirit of New Orleans.  Location: MainStrasse Village. Contact: (859) 491-0458.

Feb. 18 LOUISVILLE Louisville's Biggest Mardi Gras Celebration —The Big Easy comes to Louisville with hurricane cocktails and a king cake-eating contest.  Location: Fourth Street Live!. Contact:  (502)  584-7170.

LOUISANA
Feb. 21 LAKE CHARLES Mardi Gras Day (AAA GEM event)—The highlight and culmination of the Mardi Gras season in Lake Charles is a wholesome rollicking parade that stretches through the city. Featured are Krewe and media floats, Cajun bands and marching bands.  Location: Various locations. Contact: (800) 456-7952.

Feb. 21 MAMOU Mardi Gras in Mamou—Chasing chickens and cooking a communal gumbo are two long-standing traditions. A Cajun music concert and a dance round out the fun.  Location: Main and Third streets. Contact: (337) 468-3272.

Feb. 21 NEW ORLEANS Mardi Gras (AAA GEM event)—Mardi Gras is celebrated with a series of
parades. The festivities, said to be the greatest free show on earth, end on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.  Location: Various locations. Contact: (504) 566-5005. Free.

MINNESOTA
Feb. 18 NEW ULM Fasching—Enjoy this German equivalent of the Mardi Gras. Featured are ethnic food, music and dancing, as well as crafts and a costume parade.  Location: Turner Hall. Contact: (507) 354-8850. $.

MISSISSIPPI
Feb. 18 DIAMONDHEAD Krewe of Diamondhead Parade—Mardi Gras is a time of fun and letting go. Enjoy this seasonal family event.  Location: Diamondhead Community Center. Contact: (228) 255-6922. Free.

Feb. 18 GULFPORT Krewe of Gemini Mardi Gras Day Parade—This afternoon parade wanders through downtown Gulfport.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (228) 539-9692. Free.

Feb. 18 PASCAGOULA Jackson County Carnival Association Mardi Gras Parade—Mardi Gras is a time to come together, enjoy, indulge, go a little crazy and step out of the box. It's all good fun at Mardi Gras. Location: Begins at Pascagoula High School. Contact: (228) 497-3269. Free.

Feb. 19 D'IBERVILLE North Bay Area Mardi Gras Parade—Mardi Gras is a time to come together, enjoy, indulge, go a little crazy and step out of the box. It's all good fun at Mardi Gras. Location: Begins at St. Martin Community Center. Contact: (228) 396-1869. Free.

Feb. 19 PASS CHRISTIAN St. Paul's  Carnival Association-Pass Christian Mardi Gras Parade —This parade rolls on Highway 90, starting at the west side of the harbor.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (228) 547-4873. Free.

Feb. 21 BAY ST. LOUIS Krewe of Diamonds Mardi Gras Parade—The Krewe of Diamonds, which is reputedly the Gulf Coast's only predominantly African American Krewe, parades through downtown Bay  St.  Louis. Location:  Downtown. Contact:  (228) 342-0883.  Free.

Feb. 21 BILOXI Krewe of Neptune Mardi Gras Parade—Since 1983, the downtown streets have hosted this parade, which follows immediately after the Gulf Coast Carnival Parade. Highlights include large, double-decker floats and marching bands.  Location: Downtown. Contact:  (228)  436-4381.  Free.

Feb. 21 BILOXI Gulf Coast Carnival Association Mardi Gras Parade—Every year the Carnival Association continues the tradition begun more than 100 years ago, with King d'Iberville and Queen Ixolib reigning over more than 100 units in this parade.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (228) 432-8806. Free.

Feb. 21 GULFPORT Krewe of Gemini Mardi Gras Night Parade —This parade wanders through downtown Gulfport.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (228) 539-9692. Free.

MISSOURI
Feb. 1-18 ST. LOUIS Soulard Mardi Gras—Parades with colorful floats, the Grand Parade and the Fat Tuesday Parade, a wiener dog derby, a Creole food fair and beads everywhere are just some of the highlights of this Mardi Gras season of events.  Location: Historic Soulard Neighborhood. Contact: (314) 771-5110.

Feb. 21 ST. LOUIS Soulard Snowman Softball Tournament—This fun event is part of the Soulard Mardi Gras celebration.  Location: Historic Soulard Neighborhood. Contact: (314) 771-5110.

NEW MEXICO
Feb. 16-21 RED RIVER Mardi Gras in the Mountains—Celebrate Mardi Gras with Cajun and zydeco music, dancing, food, parades and bead tossing.  Location: Citywide. Contact: (800) 348-6444.

PENNSYLVANIA
Feb. 18 HONESDALE Mardi Gras on Main—Over 50 krewes, groups of people, parade along the sidewalks in a stream of mini-floats using everything from baby carriages and hospital beds to wagons and wheelbarrows. Many krewes will be passing out colorful Mardi Gras beads.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (570) 253-5492.

RHODE ISLAND
Feb. 18 CRANSTON Cajun and Zydeco Mardi Gras Ball—Renowned for its wild irreverence and multicultural flair, this annual event features international music, food, costumes and entertainment.   Location: Rhodes-on-the- Pawtuxet. Contact: (401) 784-8634. $.

TEXAS
Feb. 10-21 GALVESTON Mardi Gras! Galveston (AAA GEM event)—This festive winter carnival creates a New Orleans atmosphere with parades, costumes, masquerade balls, music and coronations. Location: Various locations. Contact: (888) 425-4753.

Feb. 16-19 PORT ARTHUR Mardi Gras of Southeast Texas—Parades, concerts, street dances, arts and crafts, a carnival, children's activities, fireworks and food are offered.  Location: Downtown. Contact: (409) 721-8717.

Feb. 17-19 SAN ANTONIO River Walk Mardi Gras Arts and Crafts Fair and Parade—A procession of decorated river barges transforms the River Walk into a floating Bourbon Street.  Location: San Antonio River Walk. Contact: (210) 227-4262.

WEST VIRGINIA
Feb. 18 HELVETIA Fasnacht—This Swiss Mardi Gras-style event celebrates the arrival of spring with a masked costume ball and a parade.  Location: Various locations. Contact:  (304) 924-5063. $.