Mardi Gras in New Orleans

Looking for something to celebrate this season? You’ll find plenty of reasons this time of year - from winter festivals that ring in the new year, to Carnaval, Mardi Gras and many reasons to celebrate snow, there is an unlimited amount of celebrations going on around the world. This week will show you a few destinations around the world that will have celebrations in the next few months.

There are fewer winter festival in the United States as popular as New Orleans’ Mardi Gras. Now is a great time to start planning your trip!

While the festival in its entirety has come to be known as Mardi Gras to many, in fact only the final day of the celebration is officially known by that name. The preceding weeks are actually part of Carnival, which is also celebrated in many nations around the world, including Brazil and almost every country in the Carribean. Every year, revelers make the pilgrimage to New Orleans to join throngs of locals in this one-of-a-kind celebration that engulfs the city from January 6th (Twelth Night) to Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday” (February 5th this year), which precedes Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent for the Roman Catholic faith.

Celebration and indulgence takes places all throughout these weeks, but it is the last two or three in particular most have come to associate with Mardi Gras, when numerous private groups, known as “krewes”, stage huge parades down St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street, and krewe members shower crowds with “throws” (strings of colorful beads, small toys, and coins imprinted with the krewe logo, known as doubloons). Much of the celebration also takes part in the world-famous French Quarter, particularly on Bourbon Street, though parading has not been allowed there since 1972. But this has done nothing to slow this amazing party. Every year it continues to grow in size and numbers, with some hotels sold out over a year in advance, so plan early if you want to get in on the action.

Lastly, not only is Mardi Gras a ton of fun, it’s a time-honored tradition and one of America’s most unique festivals that continues to need your help. The catastrophic impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which affected thousands of homes, businesses and families, caused the city to scale back festivities in 2006. This, however, should only give you more reason to visit to help revitalize a beloved American city, and to keep the New Orleans motto of “Laissez les bon temps rouler” or “Let the good times roll” alive and strong.

Useful Resources

New Orleans Travel Guide
New Orleans Hotel
Mardi Gras
Other New Orleans Attractions
Editor’s Pick: New Orleans’ Mardi Gras 2007

Bookmark to: