At the end of Carnival and before Lent comes Fat Tuesday – or ‘Mardi Gras’, as the French say it. Nowhere in the world is it celebrated more than in New Orleans. The city transforms into a riot of colour, with parades, balls, picnics and parties taking place everywhere during the holiday.
The day of Mardi Gras has been an official holiday in the state of Louisiana since 1875, when Governor Henry C. Warmoth signed the Mardi Gras Act. However, its origins go back to the turn of the 17th century. The first official Mardi Gras celebration took place in 1703 in the capital of French Louisiana, a town called Fort Louis de la Louisiane, which today is Mobile, Alabama. The capital was moved to New Orleans a couple of decades later, and Mardi Gras became an important event in the city’s calendar. Soon, its festivities became famous across the whole state.
PARTY PLANNING
This year, Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday February 13th, but the party starts at the weekend. The festivities are planned by private organisations called ‘krewes’. Each krewe has its own identity and theme. One of the oldest, the Rex Krewe, introduced the official colours of gold, purple and green in 1872. Every year, it makes special coins called ‘doubloons’ that are collected by visitors.
MARDI GRAS INDIANS
In the days before racial integration, African Americans held their own Mardi Gras celebrations. They named their krewes after imaginary Indian tribes, because local Indians had helped escaped slaves in the past. The krewe names were a tribute to that support.
Today, they are known for their spectacular costumes, made with feathers and beads. They and the other krewes take part in the parades, which seem to get more extravagant every year. The parades consists of floats. People riding on the floats throws little gifts into the crowds, such as beaded necklaces, trinkets or, in the case of the Rex Krewe, doubloons. This is a popular Mardi Gras tradition.
MASQUERADE BALLS
Masks are one of the defining features of Mardi Gras. Actually people in the parades have to wear a mask by law! In the evening, there are many masquerade balls, where people wear elaborate masks which add to the excitement. Each krewe hosts its own ball and you need to buy a ticket to attend.
In fact, Mardi Gras is a lucrative event for New Orleans, generating more than $1 billion every year. However, most events are free. That is why Mardi Gras is often called the ‘Greatest Free Show on Earth’!