Massett and Company, founded by Louis Massett, has been in the business of designing and making Mardi Gras floats since that late 1970s. Located in the hard hit 9th Ward area of New Orleans, the company's artists and workers hustled to fulfill their commitments to the krewes that still wanted to ride in Carnival season in 2006.

Although there was much debate in general as to whether Mardi Gras should even occur after the storm, in the end the decision was made to proceed, not...
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Massett and Company, founded by Louis Massett, has been in the business of designing and making Mardi Gras floats since that late 1970s. Located in the hard hit 9th Ward area of New Orleans, the company's artists and workers hustled to fulfill their commitments to the krewes that still wanted to ride in Carnival season in 2006.

Although there was much debate in general as to whether Mardi Gras should even occur after the storm, in the end the decision was made to proceed, not only from an economic standpoint (Mardi Gras normally brings in much needed revenue for the city) but also from a morale standpoint for those who stayed in the city. Massett and Company was able to honor all of its commitments.

Hundreds of floats are created for carnival season in New Orleans, with each parade having a different theme every year and therefore different decorations to their floats. Mostly drawn by tractors, floats vary in size and rider capacity, although the modern trend is towards larger floats with hundreds of riders, some stretching up to 200 feet long.

Regardless of size, all floats are considered unique works of art (float designers and builders are referred to as "artists") and can take up to a year to construct. Krewes either rent their floats every year from the various builders in the city or buy them outright and house them in their own "dens".
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