articlesforchristians

What Is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras, which means “Fat Tuesday” in French, was originally the last day to enjoy rich, fatty foods before Lent, a period of fasting for many Christians. These days, Mardi Gras is most often associated with lively parades and Carnival celebrations in places with French heritage, like Alabama and Louisiana. For many, it’s all about vibrant parades, dancing, sparkling costumes, and lavish balls.

Mardi Gras Traditions

To celebrate Mardi Gras, people dress up in eye-catching costumes – featuring the colors purple, green, and gold – and dance in the streets or as part of a spectacular ball. Debutantes are introduced at the Ball Tableau as a formal introduction to society.

People throw trinkets like plastic jewelry and sweets to crowds as part of the customary “parade throw” at New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebration. During the Bacchus parade, the king’s float throws doubloons with the image of the “Celebrity King” to parade watchers.

A rare item you can catch from a Mardi Gras parade is the New Orleans Zulu or Golden Coconut, a painted coconut with added glitter, either in gold or painted like Zulu faces. Officially, throwing these coconuts has been forbidden since 1988 – but you might still catch one.

Mardi Gras Parades

On Mardi Gras, many people in the United States take part in parades and festivities, mainly in southern states like Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas. Mardi Gras parades feature feathered masques, colorful costumes, and marching bands, as well as many local customs.

In Alabama, Mardi Gras is mainly celebrated in the counties of Mobile and Baldwin, where parades can start as early as January and traditionally feature marching bands along side colorful floats.

In Galveston, Texas, people celebrate Mardi Gras with masked balls, a royal coronation, Cajun dances, and jazz performances.

The most famous Mardi Gras parade in the US is probably held in New Orleans, with thousands of people flocking into the city just for the event. There are many old traditions as part of the Mardi Gras festivities, such as the King of the Carnival and Monarch of Merriment, as well as Comus, the God of Revelry.

Mardi Gras Food

Traditional Mardi Gras food includes the super sweet King Cake covered in colorful frosting. The person who gets the piece of the cake containing the hidden baby charm or little Jesus figurine is dubbed the “King” of that year’s Mardi Gras.

Crawfish Étoufée, a thick stew served with white rice, is another traditional Cajun and Creole dish served in New Orleans at Mardi Gras.