Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. Also known as Carnival or Carnaval, it’s celebrated in 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. In 1703, French settlers in that city began to celebrate the Mardi Gras tradition. [3] [6] [7] By 1720, Biloxi was made the capital of Louisiana. While it had French settlers, Mardi Gras and other customs were celebrated with more fanfare given its new status. [3] In 1723, the capital of French Louisiana was moved to New Orleans, founded in Though Mardi Gras is technically a religious holiday, its modern celebrations often emphasize the fun, festive, and communal aspects of the occasion, featuring parades, costumes, music, and a general sense of revelry. While Mardi Gras is celebrated in various forms around the world, it is perhaps most famously associated with New Orleans 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. Mardi Gras in Galveston, Texas. Celebrate Mardi Gras by the sea in Galveston, Texas — Photo courtesy of Visit Galveston. The Mardi Gras celebration in Galveston, which dates back to an 1867 masked ball, is the largest in Texas. Today the Mardi Gras tradition includes beautiful beach sunsets while taking in free parades along Seawall Boulevard Why does New Orleans celebrate Mardi Gras? Although it is a Christian holiday now, Mardi Gras is a holiday that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites, according to the Kingsland held its 31st annual Mardi Gras celebration featuring more than 200 vendors and a parade with more than 40 floats. Child treated for smoke inhalation from apartment fire. Why is Mardi Gras celebrated? Mardi Gras is celebrated in many countries around the world, though mainly in places with large Roman Catholic populations. It's believed that Mardi Gras emerged from the wild ancient Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Lupercalia. These pagan celebrations involved days of feasting, masquerading, dancing, and drinking. Les Gilles de Binche celebrating Mardi Gras in Binche, Belgium. Mark Renders/Stringer/Getty Images 4. Binche, Belgium. Celebrated south of Brussels in Belgium’s Hainaut province from March 2-4, the Carnival of Binche centers on the area’s unique folklore. You may have seen its concluding March of the Gilles, which takes place on Mardi Gras. Photo/Blue Bayou via Facebook. The Blue Bayou is bringing “The Big Easy” to Chicago this Mardi Gras weekend with crawfish, cocktails, and cabaret!. The party kicks off on Saturday, March 1 with a crawfish boil in the afternoon, followed by an official Mardi Gras party and burlesque show in the evening. The Mardi Gras Celebration will open with food and specialty vendors and children’s activities at 11:00 a.m. There will be two vendor areas again this year so people will have plenty of food, arts and crafts and other specialty items to enjoy before the parade. The Mardi Gras Parade will roll out at 2:00 p.m. from Court Street. Thousands of scantily clad revellers danced through Sydney on Saturday for the 47th annual Mardi Gras parade, transforming the Australian city into a vibrant sea of colour and costumes. In some cultures, such as Haiti, the celebration of Mardi Gras is accompanied by partying and revelry. In other cultures, such as Ireland, fasting and repentance are celebrated during the month of Lent. How To Celebrate Mardi Gras No Matter Where You Are. Every year, the world celebrates the day known as “Mardi Gras” in a variety of ways. In addition to Mardi Gras, Mobile celebrates Joe Cain Day on the Sunday before Mardi Gras. Joe Cain is a Mobile icon who is credited with bringing Mardi Gras back to life after the Civil War. Joe Cain Day, like Mardi Gras, is celebrated with parades and street celebrations. 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, or Fat Tuesday, is a festive occasion celebrated the world over. In Quebec, the holiday is known as Carnaval, and the celebrations begin on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. Carnaval typically involves costume parties, parades, and other merrymaking, and typically culminates on Mardi Gras itself. Mardi Gras in Germany is celebrated by the Rhenish Carnival in western cities like Düsseldorf, Mainz, and Cologne. Another Carnival is the Fastnacht, celebrated by the Swabian and Alemannic people in the Baden-Württemberg region. NEW ORLEANS — Almost everyone has their perfect spot to take in the full majesty of Mardi Gras parades here, from the brightly lit floats from which riders toss bounties of colorful beads to the
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