The Tournament of Roses parade is one of the most-watched events on New Year's Day -- and that means a lot of viewers today will see the Louisiana float.
"Over 130,000 roses, orchids" adorn the Mardi Gras jester-themed float, said Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser.
Nungesser told WWL's Scoot on the Air that ornate float isn't just there to be pretty -- it also serves as a rolling billboard for visiting the state.
"Over the last two years, jut the Rose parade, we've reached 4.5 billion people," said Nungesser.
The lieutenant governor said there's probably no better way to remind travelers that Mardi Gras is coming up than with a parade float.
"At the end of the year, you're thinking about what's your New Year's resolution, and people are asking their family, 'where are we going to go next year on vacation?' so it's a great time of year to put your state out in front of the world," said Nungesser.
