Mardi Gras New Orleans
is probably one of the biggest parties in the world. Louisiana
Mardi Gras, sometimes referred to as “Carnival”,
has been celebrated in New Orleans since the early 1800s
as a way to party to excess before lent begins on the
Christian Calendar Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras New
Orleans usually takes place from on Fat Tuesday (usually
in February) and lasts for 10 days. The parades
occur two weeks before the Mardi Gras celebration, so
plan in advance to get the best of this amazing festival.
Mardi Gras New Orleans was a huge party even n the beginning, but as time went by many other traditions were instituted, like the introduction of the parades and the lavish floats in 1857. The “Krewes” were formed and exist to this day as organizations that build floats and throw beads and other gifts to the crowd during the Mardi Gras parades. The Krewes were also known to hold elaborate private parties and masquerade balls during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Very few Krewes allow the public to buy tickets to their balls; they are mostly private parties, so if you can find a friend that has tickets to one of these balls its well worth the experience.
These traditions have continued to this day at Louisiana Mardi Gras, where you can see elaborate costumes, amazing floats, and catch different “throws” like cups, plastic beads, candies and other trinkets. The parades range from small and suburban to the large and lavish. There are even performers and marching bands. The elaborate performances by the Krewes have made Louisiana Mardi Gras one of the best known parties in the world.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans has recently gotten the reputation
for being a scene of nudity and debauchery during this
festival. This can be true, but only in the French
Quarter and especially on Bourbon Street. This
“flashing” of skin to get beads has become
a problem lately, and is technically illegal. You
can get arrested for this type of public display.
However, the crowds are huge and the police cannot see
everything, so it is best to keep children away from the
French Quarter and Bourbon
Street during the festival. You can watch the
craziness from the safety of a balcony at one of the several
Bourbon Street hotels. Known for their party atmosphere,
Bourbon Street hotels have balconies overlooking the action
and can provide a safe recluse from the hordes of people
milling below. If you want to book Bourbon
Street hotels for Mardi Gras in New Orleans it is
recommended to do so at least a year in advance.
Some Bourbon Street balconies are sold out five years
in advance! Also check out vacation
pckages to New Orleans for this festival, as these
packages can offer good discounts, when booked in advance.
Despite the recent headline making debauchery associated
with New Orleans, Mardi Gras has typically been a family
event. There are plenty of parades away from the
Bourbon Street adult fare and are excellent places to
take children to catch candy beads and watch the exciting
floats go by. It is extremely crowded, so if you
take your family to Mardi Gras, make sure you make plans
to have a meeting place in case anyone gets separated
from the group. You can also dress
up in costume with the entire family to view the fun!
During Louisiana Mardi Gras, don’t forget to try the king cake. A sweet dough shaped in a circle, it’s brushed with colorful icing in the Mardi Gras purple green or gold motif, with plastic baby (representing the Christ child) wrapped inside.
