NEVADA CITY, CA (MPG) - Rain held off Sunday afternoon, Feb. 15, as spectators lined the streets for Nevada City’s 32nd annual Mardi Gras Parade.

Organizers say the town hosts one of the largest Mardi Gras celebrations on the West Coast. The hourlong parade opened with the town bell crier and continued with brightly dressed participants, decorated floats, waving flags and dancers tossing beads into the crowd.

Dancers in vibrant feathered costumes perform along the parade route during Nevada City’s 32nd annual Mardi Gras Parade on Feb. 15. The festivities included Brazilian-inspired performances and live music throughout downtown.

Vendors filled downtown streets with a craft fair, while live music carried across Broad Street. The Earles of Newtown, a brass band, performed New Orleans-style music from the balcony of the Nevada City Chocolate Shoppe at Broad and Pine streets.

At the Miners Foundry, Carnaval a la Brazil brought a Brazilian music festival indoors, adding to the day’s international theme.