One thing is for sure, you are going to find it very difficult to find more fun, more excitement, more celebrations and more colorful costumes than the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. This event, also known as Fat Tuesday allows people to indulge before the start of Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.
The Mardi Gras is French in origin and can be traced all the way back to somewhere in the Middle Ages. It was the Frenchman, Iberville, who bought the Mardi Gras name to Louisiana, when he came ashore around sixty miles from what we now know as New Orleans. He called that particular place, Point du Mardi Gras. For one reason or another it wasn't until 1823 that the first serious Mardi Gras celebration, as we know it today anyway, occurred with parties and great merriment being a hallmark from the beginning. The Mardi Gras has really thrived from the beginning of the 20th Century and this huge carnival just keeps getting bigger every year. With much revelry and dancing in the streets, accompanied by beautifully decorated horse drawn carriages and floats, what is there not to like?
The Mardi Gras in New Orleans these days is like no other festival around. Where else can you see French royals, showgirls dressed in feathers, painted clowns and bunnies parading the streets? In New Orleans during Mardi Gras season there is up to 350 floats and more than 15000 costumes being paraded each year, with some happening throughout the streets of New Orleans as early as 6 January. These gigantic floats, with performers performing outrageous tricks, marching bands aplenty and jazz music keeping everyone entertained.
A major attraction at Mardi Gras is the throwing of many thousands of colorful bead necklaces from the floats. These form a sort of souvenir for the crowd that everyone gets to take home with them. There is also plenty of cups and toy coins thrown as well. A tradition that originated many years ago at Mardi Gras was during a visit by the Russian duke Alexis Romanoff. These days their royal house colors of purple, green and gold, which stand for justice, faith and power, have now become the official colors of the Mardi Gras.
The Mardi Gras is just one big holiday in New Orleans and businesses and roads get shut down so that people can enjoy the excitement.
Another New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition is the "King Cakes" and there are over 500,000 of these king cakes sold each year throughout the city between 6 January and the day of Mardi Gras. This Mardi Gras specialty also sees over 50,000 king cakes shipped from New Orleans as well. Some of these king cakes actually include a small plastic baby doll inside. The person who gets one of these cakes is declared 'the king'. Unfortunately it is not the best prize as it is your turn to buy the next cake if this occurs.
At the commence of Mardi Gras season in New Orleans a group of about fifty people called the Phunny Phorty Phellows, (or PPP for short) ride in their costumes in a decorated car along St Charles Avenue blowing loud trumpets. They are also accompanied by another New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition, the Dixieland band.
One can go on talking about the New Orleans Mardi Gras, but you have to be there to experience the magic. It is on the bucket list of things to do for millions of would-be travelers.
The Mardi Gras is French in origin and can be traced all the way back to somewhere in the Middle Ages. It was the Frenchman, Iberville, who bought the Mardi Gras name to Louisiana, when he came ashore around sixty miles from what we now know as New Orleans. He called that particular place, Point du Mardi Gras. For one reason or another it wasn't until 1823 that the first serious Mardi Gras celebration, as we know it today anyway, occurred with parties and great merriment being a hallmark from the beginning. The Mardi Gras has really thrived from the beginning of the 20th Century and this huge carnival just keeps getting bigger every year. With much revelry and dancing in the streets, accompanied by beautifully decorated horse drawn carriages and floats, what is there not to like?
The Mardi Gras in New Orleans these days is like no other festival around. Where else can you see French royals, showgirls dressed in feathers, painted clowns and bunnies parading the streets? In New Orleans during Mardi Gras season there is up to 350 floats and more than 15000 costumes being paraded each year, with some happening throughout the streets of New Orleans as early as 6 January. These gigantic floats, with performers performing outrageous tricks, marching bands aplenty and jazz music keeping everyone entertained.
A major attraction at Mardi Gras is the throwing of many thousands of colorful bead necklaces from the floats. These form a sort of souvenir for the crowd that everyone gets to take home with them. There is also plenty of cups and toy coins thrown as well. A tradition that originated many years ago at Mardi Gras was during a visit by the Russian duke Alexis Romanoff. These days their royal house colors of purple, green and gold, which stand for justice, faith and power, have now become the official colors of the Mardi Gras.
The Mardi Gras is just one big holiday in New Orleans and businesses and roads get shut down so that people can enjoy the excitement.
Another New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition is the "King Cakes" and there are over 500,000 of these king cakes sold each year throughout the city between 6 January and the day of Mardi Gras. This Mardi Gras specialty also sees over 50,000 king cakes shipped from New Orleans as well. Some of these king cakes actually include a small plastic baby doll inside. The person who gets one of these cakes is declared 'the king'. Unfortunately it is not the best prize as it is your turn to buy the next cake if this occurs.
At the commence of Mardi Gras season in New Orleans a group of about fifty people called the Phunny Phorty Phellows, (or PPP for short) ride in their costumes in a decorated car along St Charles Avenue blowing loud trumpets. They are also accompanied by another New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition, the Dixieland band.
One can go on talking about the New Orleans Mardi Gras, but you have to be there to experience the magic. It is on the bucket list of things to do for millions of would-be travelers.
About the Author:
The events and festival travel specialists, FOMO Travel, has developed a new site that provides an extensive array of information and advice for the New Orleans Mardi Gras, including travel options, travel tips, party spots and other activities.
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