WoRLd TREkkERz

New Orleans Mardi Gras The holiday of Mardi Gras is celebrated in Southern Louisiana , although celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and through Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday . Usually there is one major parade each day ( weather permitting) ; many days have several large parades. The largest and most elaborate parades take place the last five days of the Mardi Gras season. In the final week, many events occur throughout New Orleans and surrounding communities, including parades and balls (some of them masquerade balls). The parades in New Orleans are organized by social clubs known as krewes; most follow the same parade schedule and route each year. The earliest-established krewes were the Mistick Krewe of Comus, the earliest, Rex, the Knights of Momus and the Krewe of Proteus. Several modern  " super krewes " are well known for holding large parades and events, such as the Krewe of Endymion (which is be...

Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (/ ˈmɑːrdiɡrɑː /), also called Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday,in English , refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany ( Three Kings Day ) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for " Fat Tuesday ", reflecting the practice of the last night of eating richer , fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season. Related popular practices are associated with Shrovetide celebrations before the fasting and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent. In countries such as England, Mardi Gras is also known as Shrove Tuesday , which is derived from the word shrive, meaning " confess ". Traditions Popular practices on Mardi Gras include wearing masks and costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, sports competitions, parades, debauchery , etc. Similar expressions to Mardi Gras appear in other...