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Though pre-Lenten Mardi Gras balls and parties were held in New Orleans as early as the mid-1700s, the first documented parade in the city did not occur until 1837. This first parade more resembled a procession of revelers in costume than it did the large, organized parades of today. Mardi Gras is about music, parades, picnics, floats and excitement. It's one big holiday in New Orleans! Revelers know to wear costumes or at least dress in purple, green, and gold, and adorn themselves with long beads caught from the floats of previous parades. Mardi Gras History and Traditions Learn about the famed celebration's cultural roots and traditions. 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. New Orleans Mardi Gras traditions. Mardi Gras in New Orleans is more than just a party—it’s an unforgettable experience that draws a staggering 1.4 million visitors each year. But what makes The History & Traditions of Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras has been celebrated in Louisiana since the 18th century, brought by French settlers. Today’s traditions stem from European carnival customs mixed with local culture, creating a uniquely New Orleans spectacle. 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 Mardi Gras traditions show off New Orleans’ rich culture. Get ready to be wowed by the creativity and passion that make this celebration so special! The Rich History Behind Mardi Gras Celebrations. The history of Mardi Gras is a captivating story that spans centuries and continents. It started as a simple feast before Lent in medieval Europe. 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. In 1699, French-Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville arrived at a plot of ground 60 miles south of New Orleans and named it “Pointe du Mardi Gras,” recognizing the eve of the festive holiday. Over the following decades, the traditions of Mardi Gras were further shaped by the influences of French and Spanish settlers. 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. Mardi Gras is about music, parades, picnics, floats and excitement. It's one big holiday in New Orleans! Revelers know to wear costumes or at least dress in purple, green, and gold, and adorn themselves with long beads caught from the floats of previous parades. 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. Everything you need to know about Mardi Gras, including updated parade routes, traditions, the best places to get Mardi Gras beads, masks, king cakes and more! The throwing of trinkets to the crowds was started in the early 1870s by the Twelfth Night Revelers, and is a time-honored expectation for young and old alike. Read more. New Orleans takes Mardi Gras seriously, with traditions including king cake and parades beginning in January and lasting for weeks until the actual holiday itself. New Orleans has been celebrating Mardi Gras for hundreds of years, and is the largest masked party in North America. In the beginning, masks worn during Mardi Gras allowed wearers to escape society and class constraints. Everything you need to know about Mardi Gras, including updated parade routes, traditions, the best places to get Mardi Gras beads, masks, king cakes and more! Everything you need to know about Mardi Gras, including updated parade routes, traditions, the best places to get Mardi Gras beads, masks, king cakes and more! The Mardi Gras Indians are comprised, in large part, of the African-American communities of New Orleans's inner city. While these Indians have paraded for well over a century, their parade is perhaps the least recognized Mardi Gras tradition. "Mardi Gras Indians--the parade most white people don't see. Algiers Mardi Gras Parade and Festival. The Algiers Mardi Gras Parade and Festival will be back on Saturday, February 1 at New Orleans Federal City in Algiers. Entertainment will include Brass-A-Holics, Amanda Shaw, The U.S. Marine Reserve Jazz Band and more. The parade starts at 9 a.m. and the Festival begins at 10 a.m.
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Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
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