Traditions and History of Mardi Gras in New Orleans
See also: Mardi Gras Masks
Parties, parades, masquerades, beads and masks in purple, green and gold - such is the glittery spectacle that is the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The celebrations have gotten so humongous that in the years before Hurricane Katrina, over sixty floats would fill the streets with over a million masked revelers dancing around them on the streets. The tradition of Mardi Gras is so strong that even after the devastating hurricane, the 2006 Mardi Gras continued as scheduled, if a few floats smaller.
The history of Mardi Gras goes back a long way. Strangely, however, the first Mardi Gras celebration in the United States was held in Alabama instead, in a town named Mobile. The Le Moyne brothers were sent by King Louis XIV to protect the French territory of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. They made camp along the Mississippi river on March 3, 1699, which was then also Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. The brothers named the land of their new Creole colony Point du Mardi Gras, after the holiday and held a celebration that same evening to commemorate the event, as well as to bring tribute to the carnival, which was already a strong tradition in Europe.
As Mobile was founded on this site and was the French capital of Louisiana, annual Mardi Gras celebrations became more elaborate over time, with masked balls in the early years extending later into parades. The capital was moved to nearby Biloxi, and later to New Orleans, taking along the celebration of Mardi Gras. Soon, the carnival was celebrated in all towns and counties of the original French colony.
Mardi Gras is celebrated between February and March, according to the year's schedule of Easter. In latter years, however, Mardi Gras is not limited to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, it is usually an event that runs for two weeks and culminates on Mardi Gras day itself.
The parades are organized by Krewes, or groups of friends and associates, of which there are over 60 in New Orleans alone. Krewes elect a King and Queen for the year; they usually take the responsibility of throwing the parties and planning and executing the floats. The parties are usually costume balls and masquerades, from simple get-togethers by friends in jeans and shorts to elaborate black tie affairs with the attendees in tuxedos and designer gowns. In recent years, a bevy of young women have been notorious for attending the Mardi Gras in their bikinis, sometimes exposing themselves to win doubloons and bead necklaces from the floats. No matter what you wear, masks are always a constant in Mardi Gras attire, so don’t leave home without one.
The floats are typically started only a few weeks after the last Mardi Gras, and takes an entire year to complete. While all floats are created to exude fun and festivity, a majority of floats are tinged with political satire and commentary on current issues, such as the widespread parodying of the government at the 2006 Mardi Gras following sparse hurricane relief efforts.
Still, the Mardi Gras in New Orleans remains the biggest celebration of this holiday. Two weeks of parades with gigantic floats, hordes in costumes and masks, tossing bead necklaces through the air, music, dancing, and free-flowing wine and food, attended not only by locals of New Orleans but revelers from all over the world.