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Mardi Gras and Carnival refer to eating more decadent, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of Lent. In France, this festive season comes with sumptuous public celebrations or parades (‘les carnavals‘) in many French towns and schools. What Is Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras is a tradition that dates back thousands of years to pagan celebrations of spring and fertility, Mardi is the French word for Tuesday, and gras means “fat In medieval France, Mardi Gras became a significant part of the Carnival season, characterized by masked balls, parades, and feasting. The name “Fat Tuesday” reflects the tradition of eating richly before the 40-day fast of Lent – in French, le Carême. This year, Mardi Gras falls on March 4th 2025. Mardi Gras is a festive day celebrated in France on Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday), which marks the close of the pre-Lenten season. The French name Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, from the custom of using all the fats in the home before Lent. From high-energy parades to colorful beads and masks, there are dozens of traditions involved in Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday. Like Ash Wednesday Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday is the day that is celebrated. In many countries, the festival extends to a full week before the 40 day period of lent. This festive period is often marked by carnivals around the world including in Spain, Venice, Rio de Janeiro and Dunkerque to name a few. From here, the traditional revelry of "Boeuf Gras," or fatted calf, followed France to her colonies. On March 2, 1699, French-Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville arrived at a plot of ground 60 miles directly south of New Orleans, and named it "Pointe du Mardi Gras" when his men realized it was the eve of the festive holiday. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and through Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday (the start of lent in the Western Christian tradition). Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, the season is known as Carnival and begins on 12th Night, January 6th, and extends until midnight before Ash Wednesday. Club, or Krewe The Evolution of Mardi Gras Traditions. Over centuries, Mardi Gras traditions have evolved while maintaining their French roots. Parades have grown more elaborate, costumes more imaginative, and the festival’s reach has spread across the globe. Yet, the spirit of celebration, camaraderie, and indulgence remains as a testament to its French Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is a celebration steeped in rich history and diverse cultural traditions. While most commonly associated with New Orleans, Louisiana, Mardi Gras has deep roots in France and is celebrated in various forms around the world. One of the most iconic elements of Mardi Gras celebrations is the King’s cake, a [&hellip Mardi Gras Means “Fat Tuesday” – The name comes from the French tradition of eating rich, fatty foods before the fasting season of Lent. The First Mardi Gras in America Was in Mobile, Alabama – Established in 1703, Mobile’s celebrations predate New Orleans’ by more than a decade. Every year, as winter fades and spring approaches, the streets of New Orleans explode with color, music, and celebration. Mardi Gras, the grandest festival in Louisiana, is famous for its parades, beads, masked revelers, and deep cultural traditions. Mardi Gras is not just for humans; New Orleans hosts a "Krewe of Barkus" parade, where dogs don costumes and join the fun. The largest Mardi Gras float ever built was over 330 feet long and carried more than 200 riders. Mardi Gras in Popular Culture. Mardi Gras has made its mark in popular culture, appearing in movies, music, and literature. The spirited Mardi Gras series is hand-carved plank and engineered from the finest small leaf Acacia, one of the hardest and most durable wood species in the world. Strikingly dynamic grain and knots with rich texture and stylish hand scraping, The lively Mardi Gras colors come prepackaged in fixed 4-3/4 inch width planks. 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. The Mardi Gras that locals grew up with, enjoyed and love is occurring in every other part of New Orleans and the surrounding suburbs - not in the French Quarter. The large, traditional Mardi Gras krewes who bring you the "Greatest Free Show on Earth" do not even parade through the Quarter because there is a size restriction on floats in that Signaling the end of the Carnival season, which climaxes on Mardi Gras, Lent lasts for 40 days until Easter (not counting Sundays). Because the day before Ash Wednesday was traditionally one of feasting, as symbolized by the Boeuf Gras, it came to be known as Fat Tuesday or, as the French would say, Mardi Gras. Baby Doll While Mardi Gras is celebrated in various forms around the world, it is most famously associated with New Orleans, Louisiana. Over the centuries, Mardi Gras in New Orleans has evolved into a grand and extravagant celebration, deeply rooted in the city’s unique blend of French, African, Spanish, and Caribbean cultures. Essential Mardi Gras Traditions You Can’t Miss. Mardi Gras is a colorful mix of cultural experiences that unite people in amazing ways. It happens in New Orleans and other Gulf Coast cities. These activities make memories that last a lifetime for everyone involved. Traditional Parade Customs. Mardi gras parades are the core of the carnival Bacchus Bash (March 2, 2025): Krewe of Bacchus throws a big all-day Mardi Gras block party on Super Sunday (the Sunday before Mardi Gras) featuring live music, DJs, and VIP open bar ticket options to celebrate their historic parade. Pricing ranges from $75-600.
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