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New Orleans was established in 1718 by Bienville. By the 1730s, Mardi Gras was celebrated openly in New Orleans, but not with the parades we know today. In the early 1740s, Louisiana's governor, the Marquis de Vaudreuil, established elegant society balls, which became the model for the New Orleans Mardi Gras balls of today. On the night of February 24, 1857, under gaslit torches in New Orleans's warehouse district, a Mardi Gras tradition was born. At the intersection of Julia and Magazine Streets, the Mistick Krewe Mardi Gras revelers greet a float from the Zulu parade at the corner of St. Charles and Canal Streets in New Orleans, La., on Mardi Gras day Tuesday, Feb. 11, 1997. (AP Photo/Andrew J. Cohoon) Share 4: When was the first Mardi Gras? The first Mardi Gras parade was held in New Orleans on Feb. 24, 1857 by the Krewe of Comus. They began the tradition of presenting a parade with floats and following it with a ball for the krewe and their guests. Mardi Gras Dates. 5: What is the significance of the Mardi Gras colors, and where did they come from? The first use of the words "Mardi Gras" in Louisiana was in 1699, when Pierre le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville, named a bend in the river "Pointe du Mardi Gras," in honor of that year's Fat Tuesday. However, Carnival was rarely celebrated in the new colony—the early people of the Big Easy found life in the mud-caked huts and thatched roofs of New 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 2006 New Orleans Carnival schedule included the Krewe du Vieux on its traditional route through Marigny and the French Quarter on February 11, the Saturday two weekends before Mardi Gras. There were several parades on Saturday, February 18, and Sunday the 19th a week before Mardi Gras. Parades followed daily from Thursday night through The first American Mardi Gras took place on March 3, 1699, when French explorers Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville and Sieur de Bienville landed near present-day New Orleans, Louisiana. They held a Mardi Gras Past and Present Traditions from the past that live on today. Mardi Gras has been celebrated in New Orleans since the explorer Iberville first set foot here on Mardi Gras Day 1699. In French colonial days, wealthy members of Creole society threw lavish Mardi Gras balls from Twelfth Night (Jan. 6) to Fat Tuesday Eve. The Argument for New Orleans. Those who believe New Orleans gets the crown say the first Mardi Gras took place on March 3, 1699, when French explorers Bienville and Iberville put down stakes on the west bank of the Mississippi River, about 60 miles downriver from the site of what would become the Crescent City. Click on the Mardi Gras krewes below for further information about the krewe and to see their usual route for each parade. Please note: Events and activities are subject to change without notice. Stay tuned to the site for further info. According to the Mardi Gras New Orleans, Mardi Gras celebrations were common in the city by the 1730s, although the first recorded Mardi Gras parade didn’t float through the New Orlean’s Gian Durand dedicated her ride to New Orleans activist Dorothy Mae-Taylor, who helped diversify Mardi Gras parades. Gian Durand now reigns as the first Black queen of New Orleans’ ALLA parade Click on the Mardi Gras krewes below for further information about the krewe and to see their usual route for each parade. Please note: Events and activities are subject to change without notice. Stay tuned to the site for further info. The Best 2025 Mardi Gras Parades What is a Krewe? Mardi Gras in New Orleans revolves around the Krewes — the organizations that create the parades and events that define the season. There are hundreds of Krewes in New Orleans, each with its own history, traditions, themes, parade types, and signature “throws.” The first Mardi Gras parade was held in New Orleans by the Krewe of Comus in 1857, and in 1870, Mardi Gras’ second Krewe, the Twelfth Night Revelers, began tossing “throws” (more on these iconic parts of Mardi Gras later). This year, Mardi Gras is Tuesday, March 4. Mardi Gras parades. Mardi Gras parades are the highlight of the season. Staged by "krewes"—Carnival organizations—these parades range from small Pontchartrain rolls on the first Saturday of the official New Orleans Mardi Gras season with some of Mardi Gras’ most memorable floats, such as “Mr. Mudbug” (the world’s largest crawfish) and a giant fish dubbed “The Super Grouper.” Organized in 1975 and named aft read more » This marker, installed on the corner of the building at Magazine and Julia Streets, indicates the starting point of the first Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, which took place on February 24, 1857. The Mistick Krewe of Comus led the parade, which went west on Julia Street. From this point forward, Mardi Gras parades would become a cherished New Orleans tradition. Mardi Gras parades would soon Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana is an iconic celebration that welcomes nearly 1.5 million visitors each year, so it’s no surprise that planning your first visit to this world-famous holiday can be quite the daunting task. We had the joy of visiting our first Mardi Gras in 2023 and came up with a list of the top things that we think every Mardi Gras goer could benefit from knowing before
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