Gators & Ghosts’ NOLA Blog Archive

Mardi Gras is upon us – an entire season dedicated to sparkles, parties, and dancing in the streets! Carnival begins each year on January 6 (Epiphany) and runs through Mardi Gras Day, also known as Fat Tuesday, which falls 41 days before Easter each year. The full season includes parades, both large and small, parties, balls, and lots of celebration throughout the entire city of New Orleans. In the two weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday, you’ll find most of the major parades that take place across the city, and these usually include costumed horseback riders, marching bands and dance teams, as well as hundreds of people riding on giant floats and tossing parade “throws” or trinkets to the onlookers. Mardi Gras is definitely a crowd participation sport, so here are a few tips to help you make sure you have the best Carnival possible:

It’s hard to imagine New Orleans without Mardi Gras – the city was established on this land in 1718, and just a decade or so later, the festivities were celebrated widely (though somewhat differently than today) across the area. Since then, for many, New Orleans and Mardi Gras have been synonymous with one another – parades, balls, family and friends coming together, good food and drink, and an electric vibe running through the city. Though the observance has evolved over the centuries, the festive air and the celebratory spirit have remained.