Karen Foster, president of the Krewe of Hebe, which sponsors the annual celebration, said Mardi Gras is an economy booster for Jefferson.

"The great thing about it is it comes at a time of year when you've just finished the holidays. You've stretched the dollar. A lot of our businesses are so tourist driven. Mardi Gras was formed to bring people in at that time of year when things are slow," Foster said.