Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras History

Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, honors the commencement of Lent’s fasting period in Christian faith. With its grand parades, flamboyant masks and costumes, and festive gatherings. Mardi Gras incorporates various elements such as bead-tossing, music, and dance. The quintessential beads, typically purple, green, and gold, represent justice, faith, and power, respectively.

Mardi Gras, introduced to America in the late 17th century by French explorers, had its origins in Medieval Europe. Initially celebrated in Mobile, Alabama, it later found its most famous home in New Orleans, Louisiana. The celebration's important aspects were maintained, although it underwent natural cultural adaptations that molded the American version of Mardi Gras. The event became a significant fusion of different cultures and traditions, prominently featuring communities' local practices, music, and cuisine.

In America, Mardi Gras is widely celebrated, especially in southern states like Louisiana and Alabama. It includes both family-friendly and adult events, characterized by extravagant parades with elaborate floats, marching bands, and carnival krewes. The parties, balls, and King Cake parties are also a significant part of the celebration - the person who finds a small plastic baby in the cake is crowned "king" or "queen" and must host the next year's party. While Mardi Gras parties may begin as early as January 6 (Twelfth Night), the main event is always the day before Ash Wednesday, marking the start of the Lenten season in the Christian calendar.

Top 10 Facts for Mardi Gras in 2026

• The tradition of hiding a small plastic baby inside a ring-shaped King Cake represents the Christ Child, and the person who discovers the figurine in their slice is named the "king" or "queen" of the day and tasked with hosting the next celebration or providing the cake for the following year.
• Several major parade organizations are centering their 2026 festivities on the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, including the Krewe of Bacchus with its theme Bacchus Celebrates America 250 and the Krewe of King Arthur with its culinary-focused theme Cooking Across America.
• The official colors of Carnival—purple, green, and gold—were established by the Rex Organization in the late 19th century to represent justice, faith, and power, respectively.
• Among the most coveted and valuable items tossed from parade floats are the hand-painted Zulu coconuts, which members of the Krewe of Zulu meticulously decorate by hand to distribute as unique "throws" rather than traditional plastic beads.
• The satirical Krewe du Vieux is known for its adult-oriented humor and political commentary, with its 2026 procession featuring the provocative theme Krewe du Vieux Saves the Wet Glands.
• Evening parades are traditionally accompanied by flambeaux, or flaming torches, a custom that dates back to 1857 when they were necessary to illuminate the floats before the advent of electric streetlights.
• The 2026 Carnival season features a rare cultural intersection as the climactic parade weekend coincides with the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, creating a unique overlap between local traditions and global sporting events.
• The Mardi Gras Indians consist of several "tribes" of African American maskers who spend an entire year hand-sewing elaborate, bead-and-feather suits to pay homage to Native American Big Chiefs and the history of indigenous people who provided sanctuary to those fleeing enslavement.
• Each year, the Mistick Krewe of Comus and the Krewe of Rex hold a formal meeting of their respective courts to signal the official end of the season at the stroke of midnight before Ash Wednesday.
• In the rural Courir de Mardi Gras, participants known as le capitaine lead masked riders through the countryside to beg for ingredients to make a communal gumbo, often including a ritualistic chase for a live chicken.

In the News and Trending in the US for Mardi Gras

Top things to do in the US for Mardi Gras

• Make your own King cake and serve it to your family and friends.
• Wear purple, green, and gold beads to celebrate the day.
• Attend the largest Mardi Gras celebration, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Attend a local Mardi Gras event. Many local communities organize street fairs and celebrations for this day.