Mardi Gras is celebrated in the United States and in countries all over the world. What is Mardi Gras and why do people gather for parties, parades, music, dancing, special foods and frivolity?
What is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras Season, or “Carnival Season,” began as a religious observation at Epiphany, ending on the Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is a French translation of Fat Tuesday, referring to the last opportunity to eat rich, sweet, “fatty” foods just before Lent, the fasting season which begins on Ash Wednesday. Today, participants march in parades while wearing sparkling and colorful masks and costumes, singing, dancing and partaking in tasty foods and a variety of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
The 40-day-season of Lent leads up to the Christian holiday of Easter, the day when Jesus rose from the dead on the third day following his crucifixion. Lent is a time for charitable alms-giving, penitence and prayer. During Lent, religious Christians give up “pleasures” of life including sweets, rich foods and, in some cases, sexual relations. Mardi Gras Season is celebrated in different ways, depending on the city or country. In America, New Orleans, Louisiana is the most popular location to celebrate Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans
French settlers came to New Orleans in 1699. Most historians think the first Mardi Gras was celebrated in the small settlement of Fort Louis de la Mobile in 1703 as part of a Catholic service. The city of New Orleans was established by the French in 1718, reverted to Spanish control from 1763 until 1801 and then returned to the French until 1803 when the United States made the Louisiana Purchase. Mardi Gras became a state holiday in 1875.
New Orleans’ Mardi Gras (Carnival) Season begins on Epiphany, January 6th, and includes parades, masquerade balls and parties featuring king cake; a type of cake decorated with purple, gold and green icing or sprinkles that is baked with a small trinket inside; the person who receives the prize must host a Mardi Gras party or provide the next “king cake.” The celebrations last about two weeks up until and through Fat Tuesday.
Parades typically follow routes through uptown or midtown areas of New Orleans; they cannot take place in the French Quarter because of that section's narrow streets and overhead structures. Parades with music, floats and masks (typically made with beads and feathers in colors of green, gold and purple) are organized by Carnival krewes; people who ride on the floats, tossing “throws” to the crowds such as plastic beads, cups, wooden or aluminum doubloons (coins) and small toys.
Although Mardi Gras is a state holiday, there is no “official” Mardi Gras theme, krewe, parade, souvenir, party or even website. Each social club and krewe provides its own merchandise to toss to the crowds in parades. New Orleans’ city government is not involved in planning or implementing the parades or public parties, with the exception of issuing permits for these events. Mardi Gras balls (formal dances), parties and parades are put on by members of various private, non-profit organizations and social clubs in New Orleans. Balls may be held at hotels, auditoriums and in some cases, the Superdome. Although Mardi Gras celebrations have been scaled back since Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, the Mardi Gras Carnival Season continues to attract millions of tourist dollars to the city.
Mardi Gras in Rio de Janeiro
Mardi Gras celebrations are all over Brazil but the Rio Carnival, or Carnaval, is considered to be the biggest and arguably, the best. Its origins come from Europeans, Romans and Greeks who threw parties to celebrate the coming of spring. In 1850, the first idea of “carnival” came to Rio, with the traditions evolving from French to Brazilian culture.
Rio Carnival/Carnaval is a four-day celebration beginning on the Saturday that takes place 40 days before Easter and ending on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras). After the street celebrations, the Rio Carnival/Carnaval ends with the Samba Parade featuring costumes, floats and school competitions.
Other Mardi Gras Celebrations
Mardi Gras/Carnival Season is celebrated different ways in cities around the world including (but certainly not limited to) Sydney, (Australia), Mazatlan, (Mexico), Quebec City, (Canada), Port of Spain, (Trinidad and Tobago), Binche (Belgium), Milan (Italy), London (England), Marseille (France) and Cologne, (Germany). While New Orleans is the most popular location for Mardi Gras in the United States, festivities occur in other areas of Louisiana as well as California, Alabama and Texas.
Want to Go?
You may get lucky if you want to go this year, but attending any of Mardi Gras celebrations in any city or country involves pre-planning. Hotels and airline reservations for Carnival time in New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro or anywhere else in the world are usually booked far in advance. Many Mardi Gras and Carnival events, (in Rio for instance), require tickets to attend. If you want to go to Mardi Gras celebrations, begin your planning right now.
Further Reading
American Catholic Organization: Mardi Gras
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