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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 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. 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 History of New Orleans Mardi Gras . Although the date of the first organized celebration of Mardi Gras in New Orleans is debatable, the 1730 account of one Marc-Antoine Caillot (a young clerk sent to Louisiana by the French Company of the Indies) mentions a celebration with music and dance, mask-wearing and costumes—including cross-dressing. Still, the first official Mardi Gras parade didn't happen until centuries later, and its location is up for debate. The Big Easy is almost synonymous with Mardi Gras, but some claim that Mobile, Alabama, hosted the first city-wide event. Rain forced the cancellation of the Rex parade in 1933, but as Reid Mitchell relates in his book All on a Mardi Gras Day: Episodes in the History of New Orleans Carnival, Chris Valley and fellow brothers in the Elks Lodge hit the streets with a truck float and five-piece band. When police refused them entry onto Canal Street — a space Mardi Gras is so much more special when you understand what you’re celebrating and what each tradition means to the generations of parade-goers who have stood on parade routes before you. There is a story and a purpose behind everything you’ll experience during Carnival Time – from the king cake you’ll eat to the flambeaux who light the After the Civil War, Comus returned to the parade scene in 1866. Four years later, the Twelfth Night Revelers debuted. This unique group made Carnival history at its 1871 ball when a young women was presented with a golden bean hidden inside a giant cake, signifying her selection as Mardi Gras’ first queen and starting the “king cake” tradition. 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. 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. Friday, Feb. 28 – Tuesday, March 4 – Le Festival de Mardi Gras à Lafayette – Cajun Field, Lafayette.Carnival rides and games, live music, food vendors, and parades roll through the festival The Mardi Gras Indians, the skeletons, the baby dolls, our Mardi Gras was on Claiborne Avenue under the beautiful oak trees. The standout moment in Zulu's history is when we're allowed to parade Taylor was instrumental in integrating Mardi Gras krewes. In 1992, she authored a city ordinance to eliminate discrimination, ordering krewes to implement an open admission policy. Each Mardi Gras Krewe has its own parade, reflecting its unique history, culture, and theme. They’ll often host a follow-up ball for members of the Krewe, many of which are super exclusive and invite-only, adding to the Krewe’s mystique. In 1870, Mardi Gras' second Krewe, the Twelfth Night Revelers, was formed. This is also the first recorded account of Mardi Gras "throws.". Newspapers began to announce Mardi Gras events in advance, and they even printed "Carnival Edition" lithographs of parades' fantastic float designs (after they rolled, of course - themes and floats were always carefully guarded before the procession). The Firefighters felt that since the parades are the main attraction to Mardi Gras, and because the Children’s Parade was the only Mardi Gras activity geared toward children, it was important to keep the tradition alive. Parade Route: The parade will begin at 25th Street and Santa Fe Place and head south on 25th Street. The First Mardi Gras Krewes. But organized Mardi Gras—that is, Mardi Gras parades with floats and a theme—would arrive shortly thereafter. In 1837, Mardi Gras street parades were dubbed "Cowbellians" after the Cowbellian deRakin Society, a Mardi Gras organization from Alabama. What is the history of Mardi Gras masks? FEBRUARY 15: A float with the theme 'Children's Stories That Live Forever' in the Krewe of Bacchus parade during Mardi Gras on February 15, 2015 in New 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. 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.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
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