This time, let’s make it for the New Orleans Mardi Gras festival

The French term called Mardi Gras, in English, means Fat Tuesday just before the Christian spell of Lent and for the New Orleanians in Louisiana, it is a festival of Carnival that is famous all over the world. This season of Carnival begins after the Twelfth Night and it includes parades, king cake parties, and balls including the masquerade balls. Celebrations are observed for a time period of some two weeks prior and until the Fat Tuesday that can be anywhere from February to March after which comes the Ash Wednesday due to the quantities of waste lying on the streets due to the celebrations.

Besides the energetic parades, the New Orleans Mardi Gras festival is also a season of picnics, ceremonial balls, and wearing new dresses. During this time, all the people of New Orleans are motivated to put on the Mardi Gras colors – green indicating faith, purple signifying justice, and gold denoting power.

Parades

The New Orleans Mardi Gras festival celebrates the spirit of the city partying, which is yet on the road to recovery from the consequences of Hurricane Katrina. Some 40 to 50 parades featuring big and well made floats, marching, music, and dancing take place on many various routes. Generally, a major parade is carried out daily depending on the weather. However, many large parades are scheduled for several days during the season among which the largest ones occur during the last five days. The Carnival’s final week offers a myriad of several big and small programs taking place throughout the city and in its surrounding neighborhoods.

Throws

All the parades are arranged by the Carnival krewes whose float riders throw many things as a tradition to the crowds. Some of the common throws include small toys, series of plastic beads in different colors, doubloons that are wooden or aluminum coins mostly inscribed with a logo of the krewe, and embellished plastic cups. The tradition of throwing jewelry or medals is also observed, which is quite famous among the local kids. If you want the throws as a memento, then the ideal ones are thrown by the Bacchus Parade in which the Mardi Gras king toss the doubloons that are regarded as the valuable items of the collectors. However, know that this competition is quite violent!

Worth visiting streets

Most of the tourists throng the French Quarter and the Bourbon Street during the Mardi Grass season. However, since over 30 years, none of the major parades has been occurred on the Quarter due to the thin streets and barriers. So, if you are looking for major parades, head to the mid-city as well as the uptown districts and also go on the trail by the side of the Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue, located on the Quarter’s upriver area.

Before, during, and after the celebrations

The Twelfth Night Revelers, among the oldest Krewes, embrace a masked ball to start the season. The season of parade starts around before three weekends of the Mardi Gras Day, the Fat Tuesday, with the parade called Krewe du Vieux.

The night of Thursday begins with a women’s parade known for the throws and themes related to the stars and politicians. On Friday night, the Krewe of Hermes as well as the ironic Krewe D’État parades, among the largest ones, takes place. Among the neighborhood parades, there exist the Krewe of Barkus and OAK. Lundi Gras, meaning Fat Monday, is the day when the Krewe of Rex for next day parade and the rulers of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club and Krewe of Rex land on the Mississippi shore at the end of the Canal Street where a party is organized for the whole day. Then, the uptown parades begin with the parade of the Krewe of Proteus.

The carnival ends when the court meets at the ceremony – Rex and His consort (the Carnival’s King and Queen) greet the King as well as the Queen of the oldest active organization of the Carnival – Krewe of Comus. This meeting takes place at the Municipal Auditorium.

2011 Mardi Grass Date

8th March, so it is better to come before 5th March for more fun and to also ensure comfortable stay because of too much crowd later