Mardi Gras Explained

What many natives of Louisiana consider the best time of the year is now upon us: Mardi Gras weekend. Big Fish decided to breakdown what exactly Mardi Gras is for all our non-Louisiana residents.

Mardi Gras is translated into Fat Tuesday. It’s the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, when the Lenten season begins. Basically, people use this time to indulge in some of their favorite items that they might be giving up for Lent.

People from all over the South flock to New Orleans for a four-day weekend experience you can’t find anywhere else. During Mardi Gras, the air is filled with music and laughter. The streets are flooded with purple, gold and green and the smiling faces of people who are having a genuinely good time. You can always find a friendly neighbor willing to paint your face or throw you a bead. We have all been anxiously waiting carnival time, so we decided to share some of the things we think makes Mardi Gras so great.

Mardi Gras Balls

Every year, different Krewes around the state host formal Mardi Gras balls to honor the members of the krewe. Most of these balls also give presentations of young women as debutantes for the krewe, and in most cases, a king and queen of the Krewe are picked. It is a formal affair, but great fun at the same time. There is usually a live band and lots of drinks for everyone to have a great time.

King Cake

King cake is glorious. It is unlike anything you have ever tasted before. It is a sweet dough bread, almost like a doughnut, that is covered with thick purple, green and gold icing. The dough can be filled with many flavors, such as: cream cheese, Bavarian cream, strawberry, chocolate, raspberry, blueberry, etc. The best part about a king cake is that there is a small plastic baby inside the dough, and whoever eats the slice that has the hidden baby has to buy the next king cake!

Parades

Parades are definitely the best part of carnival season. Tons of people line up along parade routes waiting for the intricately decorated floats to pass. People on the floats throw beads, candy and other Mardi Gras treats to the crowds below. “Throw me something, mister!” can be heard all the way down the parade route. Music blares from the loud speaker of the floats and the crowds dance along. It’s an all day party in the street!

Comment and tell us some of your favorite parts of Mardi Gras! It is a wonderful time of year, so everyone be safe and have a great Fat Tuesday!