If Brazil is famous for its carnival in South America, it’s got solid competition in the form of Mardi Gras, which happens every year in New Orleans up in North America. It is a city which lies in the famous state of Louisiana and this day marks feasting, revelry and partying night and day.
But why Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras comes from the French language, which means “Fat Tuesday”. According to the Christian calendar, the lent period begins from Ash Wednesday, a day after the Fat Tuesday, which is the last day before the fasting period begins. Therefore, it’s the perfect excuse for you to go all out and have fun before the 46-day period of lent begins.
What all can you expect?
Get all colorful
You will find costumes of all size, shapes and forms at Mardi Gras with the most flamboyant styles and colors. This includes plenty of neon and glittery colors perched on the wackiest costumes and fashion props you’ll ever see. There’s only one mantra here, the wackier the better.
Mask it up
This has become a tradition of the event over the past few years. The mask is a symbol of showing that you are breaking the norms of society without being labeled, named or shamed. It’s a sign of being yourself behind that mask.
Grab the best seats in the house
If you want the best spot during Mardi Gras, then you’ve got to buy tickets for the balcony view. They allow you a bird’s-eye view of the happenings at the parade while you can sit back and relax at the open bar with culinary delights and even a restroom. Yes, you need to flush out all that booze going into your system. The downside: get ready to pay between USD 100 to 140 dollars! Thinking that’s a lot? But hey, this happens once a year, so we’d say it is worth it.
Eat like a king
One of the major traditions of the event is eating the King Cake, which is stuffed with a plastic doll resembling a baby. Legend has it that the one who finds the baby takes the responsibility of hosting the next Mardi Gras. The cake colors are as psychedelic as the festival is. It’s usually made of Danish dough sprinkled with plenty of cream and sugar toppings. Expect purple, gold and yellow to name a few colors. There are thousands of King Cakes prepared in the state of Louisiana during the event.
Any plans for the Next Mardi Gras?
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