Feature Article
For Mardi Gras in New Orleans, see New Orleans Mardi
Gras. For other carnival season celebrations see the article on
Carnival. For the 1972 album, see Mardi Gras (album). For the British
extortionist known as the "Mardi Gra bomber" see Edgar Pearce.
Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday") is the day before Ash Wednesday,
and is also called "Shrove Tuesday" or "Pancake Day". It is the final
day of Carnival (English:IPA: /kaɹnɨvəl/ and Romance languages:IPA:
/karnival/). It is a celebration that is held just before the beginning
of the Christian liturgical season of Lent. The feast should not be
confused with the Polish Fat Thursday.
Dates
The date can vary from February 3 to March 9 in non-leap years or February 4 to March 9 in leap years. Like Lent, the date is dependent on that of Easter. Mardi Gras falls on the following dates in the following years: * 2006 - February 28 * 2007 - February 20 * 2008 - February 5 * 2009 - February 24 * 2010 - February 16 * 2011 - March 8 * 2012 - February 21 * 2013 - February 12 * 2014 - March 4
Locations Float-making in New Orleans Perhaps the cities most famous for their Mardi Gras celebrations include Rio de Janeiro, Venice, and New Orleans. Many other places have important Mardi Gras celebrations as well. The carnival is an important celebration in most of Europe, and in many parts of Latin America and the Caribbean. United States While not observed nationally throughout the United States, a number of cities and regions in the country have notable celebrations. Mardi Gras arrived in North America with the LeMoyne brothers, Iberville and Bienville, in the late 17th century, when King Louis XIV sent the pair to defend France's claim on the territory of Louisiana. The explorers eventually found the mouth of the Mississippi River on March 3, 1699, Mardi Gras of that year. They made camp a few miles upriver, just south of New Orleans, named the spot Point du Mardi Gras and partook in a spontaneous party. This is often referred to as North America's first Mardi Gras. Carnival celebrations became an annual event highlighted by lavish balls and masked spectacles. Some were small, private parties with select guest lists, while others were raucous, public affairs. Recently Mardi Gras has taken root in several major cities in the USA as the event contributes to help local economies bring revenues. Louisiana New Orleans Main article: New Orleans Mardi Gras Costumed musicians, French Quarter, New Orleans Enlarge Costumed musicians, French Quarter, New Orleans New Orleans Mardi Gras is particularly well-known, often called "the greatest free show on earth". The celebrations draw hundreds of thousands of tourists to the city in addition to the celebrating locals for the parties and parades. Mardi Gras came to New Orleans with the earliest French settlers. New Orleans developed new traditions, including Krewes such as the Krewe du Vieux, the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, and the famous Rex parade, in addition to Mardi Gras Indians and king cake parties. There are as many as 60 Krewes that have parades in the greater New Orleans area. Officially, the Mardi Gras season, more properly called Carnival, starts at the end of the twelfth day of Christmas. Most parades, balls and other festivities occur on weeknights and weekends in the 2-week period before Mardi Gras Day. Though each parade is unique, there are certain common ingredients: 1) either a King or Queen who reigns over the parade, picked from the Krewe membership; 2) gaily colored floats, ridden by Krewe members, who throw various items, including beads, doubloons with the Krewe emblem and often, that year's parade's theme, and assorted other fun items; 3) marching bands, usually from high schools and universities, but often other invited guest bands. Particularly since the inception of the larger parade organizations (sometimes called "super krewes") such as Bacchus and Endymion, it has become fashionable to invite Hollywood and other celebrities to act as Grand Marshals for parades.
Dates
The date can vary from February 3 to March 9 in non-leap years or February 4 to March 9 in leap years. Like Lent, the date is dependent on that of Easter. Mardi Gras falls on the following dates in the following years: * 2006 - February 28 * 2007 - February 20 * 2008 - February 5 * 2009 - February 24 * 2010 - February 16 * 2011 - March 8 * 2012 - February 21 * 2013 - February 12 * 2014 - March 4
Locations Float-making in New Orleans Perhaps the cities most famous for their Mardi Gras celebrations include Rio de Janeiro, Venice, and New Orleans. Many other places have important Mardi Gras celebrations as well. The carnival is an important celebration in most of Europe, and in many parts of Latin America and the Caribbean. United States While not observed nationally throughout the United States, a number of cities and regions in the country have notable celebrations. Mardi Gras arrived in North America with the LeMoyne brothers, Iberville and Bienville, in the late 17th century, when King Louis XIV sent the pair to defend France's claim on the territory of Louisiana. The explorers eventually found the mouth of the Mississippi River on March 3, 1699, Mardi Gras of that year. They made camp a few miles upriver, just south of New Orleans, named the spot Point du Mardi Gras and partook in a spontaneous party. This is often referred to as North America's first Mardi Gras. Carnival celebrations became an annual event highlighted by lavish balls and masked spectacles. Some were small, private parties with select guest lists, while others were raucous, public affairs. Recently Mardi Gras has taken root in several major cities in the USA as the event contributes to help local economies bring revenues. Louisiana New Orleans Main article: New Orleans Mardi Gras Costumed musicians, French Quarter, New Orleans Enlarge Costumed musicians, French Quarter, New Orleans New Orleans Mardi Gras is particularly well-known, often called "the greatest free show on earth". The celebrations draw hundreds of thousands of tourists to the city in addition to the celebrating locals for the parties and parades. Mardi Gras came to New Orleans with the earliest French settlers. New Orleans developed new traditions, including Krewes such as the Krewe du Vieux, the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, and the famous Rex parade, in addition to Mardi Gras Indians and king cake parties. There are as many as 60 Krewes that have parades in the greater New Orleans area. Officially, the Mardi Gras season, more properly called Carnival, starts at the end of the twelfth day of Christmas. Most parades, balls and other festivities occur on weeknights and weekends in the 2-week period before Mardi Gras Day. Though each parade is unique, there are certain common ingredients: 1) either a King or Queen who reigns over the parade, picked from the Krewe membership; 2) gaily colored floats, ridden by Krewe members, who throw various items, including beads, doubloons with the Krewe emblem and often, that year's parade's theme, and assorted other fun items; 3) marching bands, usually from high schools and universities, but often other invited guest bands. Particularly since the inception of the larger parade organizations (sometimes called "super krewes") such as Bacchus and Endymion, it has become fashionable to invite Hollywood and other celebrities to act as Grand Marshals for parades.
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