Mardi Gras

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Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, originated in France. It is a tradition revolved around indulging in fatty foods and celebrating the day before Ash Wednesday, and the Season of Lent begins. It was first brought to Alabama, but quickly spread to New Orleans, Louisiana.

Now, the celebration of Mardi Gras takes place in many of the Southern States, and can sometimes be a month-long celebration, before Lent begins. There are several parties, balls, parades, and luncheons during this time. The balls are invitation only, and each family participating in the ball has a certain number of guests to invite.

Parades can be anytime of the day, morning, afternoon, or night. There are also many different types of parades for different crowds. Some parades are aimed to attract children and families, while others are more appropriate for adults. In total, there will be about eighty Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans this year, not including balls and luncheons.

Additionally, King cake and crawfish are very common foods to have during this season. When eating a King cake, there is a small plastic baby hidden in it, and whoever receives the baby in their slice of cake is obligated to bring the next King cake. Moreover, the colors of this season are mainly purple, green, and gold. Most of the parade floats are this color, and so are the beads that are thrown from the floats.