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Mardi Gras balls were exclusive events closed off from most people outside of New Orleans society until this krewe revolutionized the event. In 1949, Edward Brennan Sr. created the krewe, a carnival Ball open to tourists. Here are the Top 10 Mardi Gras terms used in Louisiana and what they mean. Ball: A Mardi Gras ball or bal is a special event that Krewes host before their parades roll. They are usually opulent, formal affairs with costumes and dancing and often feature a tableau, which is the presentation of the royal court. Early Mardi Gras Balls . Mardi Gras balls have been around since Louisiana was a French colony. Just as we do today, Creole society kicked off the season on Twelfth Night with the King’s Ball (the Bal de Roi). The highlight of the evening was the cutting of the King Cake (the Gateau des Rois). “Creole Mardi Gras” has a more specific meaning, however—referencing the celebration in the antebellum era, before the advent of the krewe system. The key ingredients were masquerade balls, king cake soirées and spontaneous, generally disorganized and sometimes unruly cavorting in the streets—relvelry that was, for the most part Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. It's most famously celebrated with parades in New Orleans The first year that Mardi Gras was celebrated on a grand scale in Galveston was 1871 with the emergence of two rival Mardi Gras societies, or "Krewes" called the Knights of Momus (known only by the initials "K.O.M.") and the Knights of Myth, both of which devised night parades, masked balls, exquisite costumes and elaborate invitations. High-society balls involve rituals and protocols that hark back Europe’s pre-Enlightenment, tradition-bound ancien régime.In the 19th century, especially after the Civil War, members of elite Carnival organizations — seeking to evoke a world of romance and chivalry as a tonic for the social and political upheaval of Reconstruction — began acting out aristocratic fantasies by carrying on Mardi Gras Traditions Around the World . Communities around the world celebrate Mardi Gras or Carnival. Not far from New Orleans, Mobile, Alabama, still maintains its time-honored Mardi Gras traditions, like parades and balls. Quebec, Canada, also draws on its French roots with Mardi Gras, though celebrations didn't begin until the late 1800s. And in 1872, Rex, the king of Mardi Gras made his debut. Today, hundreds of Mardi Gras clubs (krewes) host grand balls and dozens of parade. Balls and Parades . Mardi Gras balls are opulent affairs with kings, queens, royal courts, and an abundance of pomp and pageantry. 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. After Mardi Gras made its way to the United States, masked balls flourished under French rule in the late 1700s, but were later banned by the Spanish governors. What is the meaning of Mardi Mardi Gras balls were exclusive events closed off from most people outside of New Orleans society until this krewe revolutionized the event. In 1949, Edward Brennan Sr. created the krewe, a carnival Ball open to tourists. Mardi Gras, a vibrant and joyous celebration steeped in tradition, is a time for revelry, feasting, and the shedding of inhibitions. As the world watches in awe of the colorful parades, elaborate costumes, and infectious energy that define this festive occasion, it’s natural to want to join in the merriment. Alexei Romanov, grand duke of Russia, concluded his goodwill tour of the United States in New Orleans just in time for Mardi Gras 1872. The rumor mill linked him romantically to English singer Lydia Thompson, whose tune “If Ever I Cease to Love” was the song of the season. 1. Mobile Is The Birthplace Of Mardi Gras. First things first: The beloved tradition was actually born in Mobile, Alabama, though many associate it with New Orleans. Mobile first celebrated Mardi Gras in 1703, with the party really heating up in 1831. Mardi Gras is still a huge event in Mobile, with dozens of balls and parades every year. BONUS: According to legend, Mardi Gras colors influenced the choice of school colors for archrivals Louisiana State University and Tulane University. They say when LSU was deciding on its colors, the shops in New Orleans had stocked up on purple, green, and gold for the Mardi Gras season. Mardi Gras spread from Rome to Europe and later to the United States through the French settlers. During the 17th century, French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville set up camp 60 miles from New Orleans calling it Point du Mardi Gras. Thus a tradition of lavish parties, parades, and masked balls began. The group wanted to preserve some of the older social traditions and customs and therefore organized a Mardi Gras Ball with traditional ball attire of white tie and tails for members and full length ball gowns for ladies. Our first Ball was in February of 2015 and the Ball and Parade has grown in size ever since. In their first year, they pulled off not only a parade but a full-blown formal Mardi Gras ball. (Because why not do it all, right?) Now, 25 years later, this wild ride of mystic revelry rolls on the Saturday night before Fat Tuesday with 17 floats, each one inspired by the charm of the Old South and the endless wonders of the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1983, the Krewe of Little Rascals is America's longest-running Mardi Gras krewe for children. Named after the famous group of kids from TV and film, the krewe patterns itself after adult Carnival clubs in the city with a pre-Mardi-Gras ball and parade. The Krewe was the visio read more »
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