Gallery
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
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. Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama, is the oldest Carnival celebration in the U.S.—even older than the one in New Orleans. The first known Mardi Gras celebration in the United States took place in this coastal Alabama town in 1703, and the town prides itself on being the birthplace of the American Mardi Gras tradition. Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States often include parades, carnival masks, and decorations in purple, green, and gold. Cities that celebrate Mardi Gras go all out for the holiday, draping beaded necklaces from trees and lampposts and blocking off streets for parades. The largest and most famous Mardi Gras celebration in the USA is in New Orleans, where Fat Tuesday is a legal holiday. NOLA has been celebrating Mardi Gras since the early 18th century and the The origins of Mardi Gras in the United States can be traced back to medieval celebrations in Venice and Rome, as well as to the French House of the Bourbons, which held lavish celebrations. Those spread to the colonies and soon to southern settlements, including the Fort Louis de la Mobile, which was founded in 1703 and later became the city Mardi Gras, a festival that came to the United States as a French Catholic tradition, is celebrated on March 1 this year. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday,” reflecting the practice of History of Mardi Gras In 1703, Mobile, Alabama was the first city recorded to have the oldest organized Mardi Gras in the U.S., according to Curious Cuisiniere. "The first documented celebration of modern-day carnival, what people think of as carnival in the United States is historically without a doubt began in Mobile. Louisiana is the only state in which Mardi Gras is a legal holiday. However, elaborate carnival festivities draw crowds in other parts of the United States during the Mardi Gras season as well There is not just one New Orleans Mardi Gras parade, the city celebrates in the lead up to "Fat Tuesday". Bob Sacha/Getty Images 1. New Orleans, USA. The earliest Mardi Gras in the US may have taken place in Mobile, Alabama, but it's New Orleans that has become synonymous with the celebration. Since the Louisiana city first hosted the event in (Flickr user Dave Herholz). Outside of New Orleans, St. Louis claims to host the United State's largest Mardi Gras party. Founded by the French some 250 years ago, the Soulard district—a New Orleans is the most famous city for Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States, but Mobile, Alabama, claims to have the oldest annual Carnival celebration in the country, dating back to 1703. Mardi Gras Traditions. Mardi Gras is known for its unique and lively traditions. The first Mardi Gras celebration in America was celebrated in 1703 in the settlement of Fort Louis de la Mobile. Mardi Gras was celebrated soon after the city of New Orleans was founded in 1718 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. Whether you celebrate Mardi Gras for its connection to Christian traditions, its cultural significance, or simply for the fun and revelry, it remains an enduring and beloved festival. In places like New Orleans, Mardi Gras has become a symbol of the city’s identity, representing unity , diversity , and the joy of living life to the fullest . One of the most culturally iconic celebrations in the United States, Mardi Gras is quickly approaching. More: When is Easter 2025? Ash Wednesday, Lent, Good Friday and other key dates In 2025, Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, March 4. Mardi Gras—just one of the festival’s many names—is marked by raucous parties and parades, revelers wearing elaborate costumes, and delicious This year Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is March 4. Parades in New Orleans and Mobile, the two iconic cities for celebrating the Carnival Season in the United States, occur in the weeks leading up to the big finale on Fat Tuesday. There’s nothing like spending a long weekend in either of these cities to celebrate Mardi Gras. Check out our New Orleans made Mardi Gras famous, but it's not the only place where carnival is celebrated. In the U.S., cities like Mobile, Alabama and Galveston, Texas have their own traditions. Numerous countries with a Christian heritage also host pre-Lenten festivals. Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street is known for booze, flashing and bead-throwing, while parades elsewhere in the city feature floats, doubloon coins and Moon Pies. Mardi Gras Traditions. To celebrate Mardi Gras, people dress up in eye-catching costumes – featuring the colors purple, green, and gold – and dance in the streets or as part of a spectacular ball. Debutantes are introduced at the Ball Tableau as a formal introduction to society.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |