- Zsuzsanna C.
- Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Mardi Gras day is known as Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, or Carnival. The legacy of Mardi Gras can be traced to European Carnival in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1699 when Pierre le Moyne d’Iberville arrived in Louisiana it was the eve of the holiday. He declared the land as “Pointe du Mardi Gras”. Mardi Gras parades and masquerade ball became a yearly tradition in the 17th century.
During the annual celebration as many as 1.4 million visitors take to the streets of New Orleans. The festival is observed from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Venice, Italy. The carnival season always begins on January 6, which is King’s Day (Feast of the Epiphany). The carnival celebration actually kicks off starting January 6 at sundown and followed by week-long parades and street parties. Mardi Gras day (Fat Tuesday), however , is on a different date each year, always the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras this year falls on March 1, 2022. The busiest time will be between February 23-March 1.
There will be numerous scheduled parades this year in New Orleans. Definitely check the internet to decide which one you want to attend. Make sure to check the COVID-19 requirements before you travel there.
Mardi Gras is about music, parades and picnics. Participants wear costumes or dress in purple, green and gold colors. There are lots of crazy costumes also. Families, kids sit down on the ground, throw balls, play music, eat great food. One of the favorite foods is cotton candy. Some people bring large bags to collect beads, trinkets and toys. Locals try to spot celebrities. The French Quarter balconies is a wonderful place to enjoy the fantastic music, good meals and the festival atmosphere. The Bourbon Street balconies are sometimes sold out for years for long-term customers and corporations.
There are lots of different foods that you can enjoy, for example the “King Cake’, a sweet bread with icing and colored sprinkles. The city is famous for the pastry doughnut with dusted sugar named ‘beignet’. People enjoy the special gumbo and black oysters.
The city is known for its special jazz music, and is universally considered to be the birthplace of the genre. They call it “New Orleans jazz”, a mashup between traditional jazz and ragtime.
Mardi Gras events are held in Columbia, SC also.