Mardi Gras is New Orleans’ most iconic celebration, famous for its colourful parades, bold costumes, upbeat music, and centuries‑old traditions. Throughout Carnival season, spectacular floats—carefully designed, built, and painted to match each parade’s unique theme—roll through the streets, creating a dazzling display of artistry and imagination that millions of spectators enjoy every year.
Leading scenic art company Crescent City Artists LLC relies on Off Broadway paint—provided locally by Rosco dealer RZI Lighting—to build many of these elaborate floats. The paint’s rich, saturated colours help artists create eye-catching designs that reflect the vibrant energy of Mardi Gras.
Scenic artists value Off Broadway paint for its vivid pigmentation, superior coverage, and matte finish. This versatile vinyl acrylic paint adheres well to a variety of materials, including muslin, wood, metals, wallboard, and many plastics. It is ready for use straight out of the can or diluted with water, offering the flexibility needed for both large‑scale applications and fine detail work.
Scenic artists Rene Pierre and Stephen Monette at Crescent City Artists LLC highlighted the advantages of Off Broadway paint: “The Rosco Off Broadway paint brand works wonderfully to provide the brightest hues expected on Mardi Gras floats. They are also easy to dilute for beautiful paint wash mixes. We also like how easy they are to manipulate to mix secondary colours.”
For more information about the product artists at Crescent City Artists LLC used to paint Mardi Gras floats, please visit the Off Broadway product page on the Rosco website.
Photo credits: Rene Pierre of New Orleans, Louisiana and Stephen Monette of Harahan, Louisiana.
Tatiana Massano February 19, 2026 Questions?
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