Fat Tuesday parades kick off at 10:30 a.m. with the Order of Athena, the only women’s group to parade on Mardi Gras in Mobile, and conclude with the city’s oldest continuous Mardi Gras Nearly every year since the first official Mardi Gras parade in 1837, New Orleans has carefully marked the days until Easter, erupting into a colorful bacchanal when the calendar hits 47 days out Mardi Gras goes back much further than New Orleans’ first Carnival in 1837. In fact, New Orleans wasn’t even the first Mardi Gras celebration in the U.S. Originally a pagan celebration associated with the coming of spring, the Romans adapted the festival tradition as a prelude to Lent and the 40 days of penance and fasting leading up to Pack Your Beads for the Best Mardi Gras Parties Outside of New Orleans We're talking a 300-year-long history of 25 different parades, over 100 floats, and a party at literally every bayou St. Louis holds the No. 1 spot as the best place to celebrate Mardi Gras outside New Orleans, even though it has only been doing so since 1980. St. Louis has a strong French heritage, having been Lawn Love conducted a study in the summer of 2022 that ranked the Top 10 best places to celebrate Mardi Gras outside of New Orleans. The study ranked 200 U.S. cities from best to worst (1-200) based on their overall scores (out of 100 points), averaged across weighted metrics. Wondering where to watch the Mardi Gras Parades in New Orleans? Keep reading for the best locations! If you’re visiting Mardi Gras in New Orleans, you’ll definitely want to witness some of the incredible Mardi Gras parades. And finding the best places to watch the Mardi Gras parades should be on your priority list! The first ball was held in 1857 by the Mistick Krewe of Comus. Comus hosted the first parade, followed by Rex in 1872, which debuted the king of Mardi Gras. The Rex parade gave Mardi Gras the official colors of purple to represent justice, green to represent faith, and gold to represent power. The three colors were to represent the “king.” The Best Mardi Gras Parades in New Orleans What is a Krewe? At the heart of Mardi Gras in New Orleans are the Krewes. Long story short, the Krewes are the organizations behind the Mardi Gras parades and events. There are hundreds of Krewes in New Orleans! Some have been around for decades while others are entirely new. When most people think of Mardi Gras, they immediately think of New Orleans. It makes sense that the two are so closely linked, given that New Orleans throws the country's largest and most popular Mardi Gras celebration. But the Big Easy is far from the only place to celebrate Mardi Gras — nor is it the original U.S. city to mark the occasion (you'll find that city on this list). Here are 14 Best Cities Mardi Gras Besides New Orleans. Mardi Gras is a lively celebration filled with parades, colorful costumes, and delicious food. While New Orleans is the most famous place to celebrate this festive day, other cities also offer fantastic Mardi Gras experiences. Here’s a look at some of the best cities to enjoy Mardi Gras outside of Best Places to Watch Mardi Gras Parades in New Orleans Hey there, folks! Toxigon here, your friendly neighborhood blogger, and today we're diving into the vibrant world of Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. If you're planning to catch the action in 2025, you're in for a treat. But with so many spots
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