Life+Style - The Vibrant Origins Of Mardi Gras Celebrations | Revry

Every year New Orleans erupts into a dazzling display of parades, music, and revelry for Mardi Gras.  Known as "Fat Tuesday," this celebration marks the final day before Lent and is so deeply ingrained in Louisiana culture that it is recognized as a state holiday. The festivities officially begin on January 6 (Twelfth Night) and continue until the grand finale on Fat Tuesday, which falls on February 13 this year. Throughout the season, the city is alive with masquerade balls, extravagant floats, and street parties, largely organized by secret societies known as "Krewes"  Each Krewe creates a themed float for the parade, tossing beads and trinkets, known as "throws”, to eager crowds. Despite New Orleans being the epicenter of Mardi Gras, the first North American celebration actually took place in Mobile, Alabama, in 1699.  Over time, New Orleans developed its own unique traditions, including the signature Mardi Gras colors, purple for justice, gold for power, and green for faith, introduced in 1872.