Mardi Gras and its traditions have rich history and culture, and there is so much more to this decades-long tradition than meets the eye.
Every year thousands of people flock to New Orleans to celebrate the carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday.
Carnival season begins on the 12th Night after Christmas, which marks the Feast of the Epiphany. This references the biblical story of the Three Wise Men who visited Jesus shortly after his birth.
Mardi Gras, which translates to “Fat Tuesday” in French, marks the day before Ash Wednesday when Christians worldwide begin 40 days of fasting and prayer. It is customary to eat all of the fats, bread and meats leftover in the fridge in preparation for fasting.
Since Louisiana is the only state in the country to legally declare Fat Tuesday as an official holiday, schools are canceled and many citizens have the day off from work. The streets are filled to the brim with men, women and children feasting onKing Cake,crawfish étouffée and beignets. On Fat Tuesday, parade floats are driven down every street and the sounds of celebration can be heard throughout the state.
Although Mardi Gras festivals are most commonly known to take place in Louisiana, the first celebration took place in Alabama in 1699. French-Canadian explorer, Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville founded what is now known as Mobile, Alabama, and since this discovery fell on Fat Tuesday, he coined the location as Point du Mardi Gras. Iberville and his men, exhausted from their trek across the bayou, celebrated this momentous occasion on the night of March 3, 1699.
In 1872, New Orleans was struggling to recover from the effects of the Civil War. That year, the city’s high-profile businessmen invited the Grand Duke Alexis Romanov Alexandrovitch to attend Mardi Gras festivities. These businessmen founded one of the most famous krewes to date: the Krewe of Rex. As an esteemed guest of New Orleans, the Grand Duke was crowned the first Rex, the King of Carnival. The Krewe of Rex chose the Grand Duke’s house colors, purple, gold and green to be the official colors of the Mardi Gras beads.
Krewe members toss these beads from their float at those in the crowd that exhibited these traits. According to legend, if someone catches one, they will receive good luck for the coming year.
This year, there are a few events around Kennesaw hosting Mardi Gras celebrations. Red Top Brewhouse in Acworth is hosting a night of feasting featuring their famous Mardi Gras wings and jambalaya.
The Nest in Kennesaw presents “Pawdi Gras” alongside Mostly Mutts animal rescue on March 1. This is a chance to bring out furry friends and enjoy the festivities together.
If participating in Mardi Gras festivities, make sure to be as safe as possible. Always have a companion when enjoying the festivities and be aware of your surroundings at all times. Most importantly, have fun!