Happy Fat Tuesday - It's Mardi Gras!!

Hey, Hey, Hey… it’s Fat Tuesday, or as they say in gay Paris, Mardi Gras. This giant festival of parades, great music and delicious food has been going on for weeks and sadly ends with a bang, on Mardi Gras Day in New Orleans.

Without a doubt, the most famous American celebration happens in New Orleans, but you can celebrate Mardi Gras anywhere. While I’m not throwing a party, I will be attending one where there will have some amazing jazz, Jester hats, jambalaya, and of course those beads!!! Did you know the bead color have meaning?? Purple (for justice), green (for faith) and gold (for power). I am looking for all 3 this year.


For those of you who have never been to a Mardi Gras, it is massive! It's marked by parades, parties, and the city of New Orleans has been celebrating it for more than 170 years! About 1.4 million people usually attend Mardi Gras, and that means a lot of money for the Crescent City. I’m sure not enough given they are still suffering so much after Hurricane Katrina, but every little bit helps.

Here are some interesting facts:

Pope Gregory XIII who made it a Christian holiday when, in 1582, he put it on his Gregorian calendar (the 12-month one we still use today). He placed Mardi Gras on the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. That way, all the debauchery would be finished when it came time to fast and pray. It ends on Easter Sunday.

The first part of the Carnival season is invitation-only coronation balls and supper dances hosted by private clubs known as krewes. Some of these Krewes are open to the general public (read – FREE), while others are kept private (read – exclusive) for ‘fine old New Orleans Families’.

There is an on-going battle as to which city held the first Mardi Gras: Mobile (Alabama) or New Orleans (Louisiana).

There are nine parades on Mardi Gras, most notably Rex. This is the Parade where youmeet the “King” of the parade. The word ‘Rex’ means king.

A plastic baby is baked inside the King Cake, and whoever receives the baby in their piece of cake must buy the next King Cake, or throw the next party!








These are some of the dates for future Mardi Gras:
February 24, 2009
• February 16, 2010
• March 8, 2011
• February 21, 2012
• February 12, 2013
• March 4, 2014
• February 17, 2015

So no matter where you are, and if you can, this is a great reason to get together with friends and family to celebrate. In these troubling economic times, it doesn’t have to be expensive, just incorporate some simple fun things. Don’t forget if your Catholic, Lent (or the 40 days of fasting) begins tomorrow. So as they say in New Orleans...

‘Laissez les bon temps rouler! Let the Good Times Roll!!