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Mardi Gras is a tradition that dates back thousands of years to pagan celebrations of spring and fertility, including the raucous Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Lupercalia. Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orlean, circa the late 1800s. Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street is known for booze, flashing and bead-throwing, while parades elsewhere in the city feature floats Mardi Gras (UK: / ˌ m ɑːr d i ˈ ɡ r ɑː /, US: / ˈ m ɑːr d i ɡ r ɑː /; [1] [2] also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the final day of Carnival (also known as Shrovetide or Fastelavn); it thus falls on the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. [3] French for Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras is always on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. This year it will be held on Tuesday Feb. 13. Mardi Gras is only one day but the Mardi Gras season, also known as the carnival season, can last for weeks culminating on Fat Tuesday. Many people assume that New Orleans is the birthplace of Mardi Gras. However, many The very first American Mardi Gras celebration took place in March 1699 after two French settlers landed near present-day New Orleans and brought their traditions with them. The French colonists who followed over the proceeding decades introduced the "Galette des Rois," or king cake, which is how it became a New Orleanian symbol. Mardi Gras (or “Fat Tuesday” as it is translated from the original French) most likely began as the pagan festival of Lupercalia (or Februa), a fertility celebration dating back to the 6th Century BCE, held each February 15th dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture. 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. Bienville also established "Fort Louis de la Louisiane" (which is now Mobile) in 1702. In the United States the principal Carnival celebration is in New Orleans, Louisiana.The Carnival season there opens on Twelfth Night (also called Epiphany, which is observed on January 6) and climaxes with the Mardi Gras festivities commencing 10 days before Shrove Tuesday. Mardi Gras arrived in North America as a sedate French Catholic tradition with the Le Moyne brothers, [3] Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, in the late 17th century, when King Louis XIV sent the pair to defend France's claim on the territory of Louisiane, which included what are now the U.S. states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. What is the origin of Mardi Gras, and what does it celebrate? You may already know that Mardi Gras comes right before Lent, which is the season leading up to Easter. But Mardi Gras history actually extends all the way back to the days before Christianity in Ancient Rome, and has roots in pagan spring festivals. The celebration of Mardi Gras has evolved over the centuries, but at its core, it remains a celebration of life, community, and indulgence. Originally rooted in religious traditions, Mardi Gras serves as a final opportunity to enjoy rich foods, drink, and revelry before the fasting and solemnity of Lent. The tradition of Mardi Gras was introduced to New Orleans by French settlers who arrived in the city in the late 17th century. The first recorded Mardi Gras celebration in the city took place in 1699, when French-Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville arrived at a spot along the Mississippi River that would become New Orleans and held a small celebration to mark the occasion. Be a part of the historic celebration that has been in Mobile since 1703. Mardi Gras celebrations begin two and a half weeks before Fat Tuesday and the Port City comes to life. Elaborate themed floats manned by masked mystic societies, mounted police and marching bands wind through downtown Mobile and surrounding areas, entertaining nearly a million revelers Don’t fret if you can’t make it the Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans or Mobile this year. There are tons of great celebrations happening all across Alabama. Find one near you and laissez les bon temps rouler! 2025 Mardi Gras at MidCity — Jan. 31-March 4 in Huntsville; Kick Off To Mardi Gras—Feb. 1 in Gadsden; Mardi Gras 5K—Feb. 8 Be a part of the historic celebration that has been in Mobile since 1703. Mardi Gras celebrations begin two and a half weeks before Fat Tuesday and the Port City comes to life. Elaborate themed floats manned by masked mystic societies, mounted police and marching bands wind through downtown Mobile and surrounding areas, entertaining nearly a million revelers Mardi Gras is a colorful and vibrant celebration that includes delicious and culturally rich foods, street parties and parades, and “krewes” handing out various festive trinkets. Whether you’re visiting the most popular spot or the site of the country’s first celebration, here are the top 5 U.S. cities to celebrate Mardi Gras. New Mardi Gras in Mobile – America’s Original Carnival Celebration. Mobile’s Mardi Gras celebrations center on downtown and emanate throughout the city and the entire Gulf Coast region. When: Friday, Feb. 14–Tuesday, March 4; Where: Various places, mostly downtown Mobile; Details: Mardi Gras Essentials Guide; Joe Cain Day. Join Joe Cain’s However, the most authentic Louisiana Mardi Gras traditions and celebrations can be found in Cajun Country during Courir de Mardi Gras. Cajun Country, or Acadiana, In the early 19th Century, the public celebration of Mardi Gras consisted mainly of maskers on foot, in carriages and on horseback. In 1837, a costumed group of revelers walked in the first documented “parade,” but the violent behavior of maskers during the next two decades caused the press to call for an end to Mardi Gras. Torrence BRANNON & his Everything with Soul band. Finish off this year’s celebration on Fat Tuesday, March 1 when the Nervis Bros 2.0 plays on the West Patio from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. The Gumbo Pot marks the return of their Beignet Tent on the Market Plaza from 12-4 PM on Saturday and Sunday. The
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