What is Mardi Gras?

Written by Kate Brame

In honor of Mardi Gras coming up in February, let’s talk about it. Mardi Gras is a christian holiday that is mainly celebrated in some U.S states, Brazil, and Venice, Italy. It includes many exciting traditions and the classic Mardi Gras colors of green, gold, and purple. Every place that celebrates this colorful holiday has their own ways of celebrating, but this is mainly going to focus on how New Orleans celebrates Mardi Gras. 

Mardi Gras, literally translating to “Fat Tuesday” in French, is celebrated on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and before the season of Lent begins. Although it’s now a week-long celebration in many places. This holiday was originally from Rome but then spread to France, Spain, Germany, and England alongside Christianity. It came to be called Mardi Gras in France since many people would eat a bunch of fatty foods before Lent.

The first American Mardi Gras happened in 1699 when French explorers landed near present-day New Orleans, Louisiana. Although some would argue that the first Mardi Gras happened in Mobile, Alabama. Mardi Gras is also known as Carnival or Carnaval in some places.

A picture from a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade showing one of the floats.

Some traditions include eating King Cake, having parades, throwing beads and trinkets, wearing masks, and going to masquerade balls. In New Orleans, the Flambeaux is also another popular tradition with a long history. All of these traditions are important because they have existed for a long time and they are meant to let people have fun before the fasting that comes with Lent.

Many parades happen during Mardi Gras and especially in New Orleans. At the front of many of the parades hosted by Krewes, there is a flambeaux performer carrying a large torch. It was originally used to light the way so revelers could see the parades at night. Now, the torch is no longer needed but it is still an important part of the Mardi Gras celebration.

Speaking of Krewes, they are the Carnival parade organizations who always host parades and costume balls during Mardi Gras. About two weeks before the actual holiday is when the carnival season starts. Some popular Krewes are the Krewe of Bacchus, Krewe of Zulu, Krewe of Orpheus, Mardi Gras Indians, and the Krewe of Endymion. Many of these krewes are known as “Super-krewes”. They are known as such because of the size and spectacle of their parades and events. Some krewes are even centuries old while others are only a few years old.

The parades that Krewes put on usually include throwing beaded necklaces and trinkets such as doubloons, coconuts, stuffed animals, etc. The doubloons they throw have the Krewe’s emblem on one side and the parade’s theme on the other, or they can have an image of the celebrity king from the King’s float. 

King cake is a ring of braided and baked dough with green, purple, and gold sugar toppings or different flavors of cream cheese on it. Each King Cake has a small plastic baby inside it and whoever finds the baby has to bring the King cake for next year. 

These are just some of the many traditions that make Mardi Gras special. It’s a celebration that anyone can be a part of and enjoy. “I would say if you want to get a different experience, just to get outside of your city, have some good fun, come to Mardi Gras.” Says a woman who was interviewed about Mardi Gras by the Associated Press.