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After the last of the revelers have packed up the pink wigs and the feathered masks, and the last of the tossed beads have been swept from the glitter-littered streets, New Orleans becomes your Home to America’s most colorful street performers in tandem with a 24-hour party scene, it only takes a few steps off Bourbon Street to realize NOLA’s nightly pulse reaches well beyond Mardi Gras. From evening cafés to historic parks, here are the best things to see in New Orleans without trying too hard. Photo Credit: Audubon Park Facebook SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, La. - It's Mardi Gras season ya'll!It's the time of the year we celebrate all of the great things about being from Louisiana. From the festivals to the parades and Mardi Gras balls, it's a celebration that lasts from New Years to the day before Ash Wednesday, a last hurrah before we celebrate the Lenten Season and the Easter Holiday. Actually, most major restaurants are closed on Mardi Gras day itself, so they end up being open the rest of the time. The day after Mardi Gras (Ash Wednesday) is more subdued (well, anything is more subdued than Mardi Gras!), as some locals will be in services, etc., but nowadays only schools get the whole week off for holidays. But Mardi Gras is an entire season, often called Carnival. It begins 12 days after Christmas on Jan. 6 and lasts until Fat Tuesday, or the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. What happens to the beads after Mardi Gras? A fascinating nugget of information, new every day. More than a century later, and five decades after cheaper imported plastic entered the scene, Mardi Gras beads are the celebration’s ubiquitous symbol, particularly after the crowds disperse and New Orleans' efforts to reduce Mardi Gras waste and reuse beads and throws have been ongoing for decades and involve a complicated web of community groups, leaders and businesses. Carnival lasts Mardi Gras is heavily associated with New Orleans but this pre-Lenten celebration also happens within destinations across the United States. Countries including Brazil, Italy, Belgium and Sweden The season, which represents a time of celebration before Christian Lent, lasts until Fat Tuesday. Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras Day, is March 4, 2025. Between January 6 and March 4, enjoy parades, king cake, community celebrations, and more. For a list of future Mardi Gras Day dates, see here. Where in New Orleans can I experience Mardi Gras? In others, especially those where it is called Mardi Gras or some translation thereof, this is a carnival day, and also the last day of “fat eating” or “gorging” before the fasting period of Lent. This moveable feast is determined by Easter. The expression “Shrove Tuesday” comes from the word shrive, meaning “ absolve “. Consider them a Mardi Gras offering. Costumes Are Encouraged (and Sometimes Required) If you’re not in a wig, sequins, or at least a feather boa, are you even doing Mardi Gras right? And on Mardi Gras day wear a heavy coat, shorts, tank top and sneakers because the weather changes from winter wonderland to summer by noon.- Tamsy Kambi The warehouse is owned by float builder Blaine Kern Studios, which has been building Mardi Gras floats for over 100 years. Kern Studios also built the floats for the Krewe of Bacchus, another large and popular Mardi Gras krewe. After the floats are taken down from Mardi Gras Parade routes, they are driven to the warehouse in Kenner. It's a sweet and delicious Mardi Gras tradition. Let’s dive into what makes this cake so special, why you can’t eat it before Jan. 6 and what happens if you find the hidden baby inside! The seven symbols for Mardi Gras are king cakes, Mardi Gras masks, parades, Mardi Gras throws, the fleur de lis, Mardi Gras beads, and the official colors of Mardi Gras. Head to our Mardi Gras symbols guide for an in depth look at the history and meanings behind the symbols of Mardi Gras . The term "Mardi Gras" is commonly used to refer to the entire Carnival season, but Mardi Gras (a.k.a. "Fat Tuesday") is actually just a one day, pre-Lent party. When is Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras happens every year. It's the day before Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday starts Lent for Christians. Lent is when people give things up. Mardi Gras is a big party before that. 'Mardi Gras' is French, and it means 'Fat Tuesday. Individuals tend to consume rich foods during the festival. This is because they will fast throughout Lent. The day after Mardi Gras is very quiet. We love being in New Orleans for the craziness of Mardi Gras and then experiencing the complete opposite on Ash Wednesday when the city is very quiet - it is interesting to see the contrast. The day after Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) is called Ash Wednesday, and it marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Sections. What happens on Ash Wednesday? In the church, Ash Wednesday is a day Q: When and where do the Mardi Gras Indians parade? The Mardi Gras Indians only parade on Mardi Gras day and on Super Sunday (generally the 3rd Sunday closest to St. Joseph’s Day in March). The Mardi Gras day routes are not published anywhere, but they happen in and around their inner-city neighborhoods.
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Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
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