NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Barbie is being celebrated Mardi Gras-style at the 2013 National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention in New Orleans.
Hundreds of Barbie doll lovers are flocking to a downtown hotel this week for festivities that included a Mardi Gras-themed opening reception held Wednesday night, as well as live entertainment, auctions, workshops and a fashion show.
The 50-plus-year-old Barbie doll, which stands 11.5-inches tall and has been everything from an astronaut to a NASCAR race car driver, is one of the best-known toys of all time with collectors and fans across the globe. Barbie can sell for as little as $10 at Wal-Mart or for thousands at auction.
Attendance to the New Orleans convention, which continues through Saturday, was limited to 800 participants.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)