Mardi Gras – The New Orleans’s Carnival

The USA knows what’s what when it comes to parties. Their annual festivals unite people from all over the world who make huge rows to get precious visas that let them enter this marvelous country and see it on their own.

Among the well-known festivals we couldn’t but mention Mardi Gras, or Fat Thursday – the festival of food, drink, and bright costumed performance.

The origins of Mardi Gras can be traced to medieval Europe, passing through Rome and Venice in the 17th and 18th centuries to the French House of the Bourbons. From here, the traditional revelry of “Boeuf Gras,” or fatted calf, followed France to her colonies. However, some scientists connect Mardi Gras with the Celtic welcoming of spring and saying goodbye to winter.

This is why in most of the European countries there is a tradition of cooking and eating ‘solar’ food at the end of February and at the beginning of March. This is how they welcome Spring, making the sun shine brighter.

Without a doubt, the brightest celebrations are held in New Orleans since 1718. First was nothing more than street food fest with music and dancing but after about 100 years Mardi Gras in New Orleans turned into the most magnificent event of the year. Newspapers began to announce Mardi Gras events in advance, and they even printed “Carnival Edition” lithographs of parades’ fantastic float designs (after they rolled, of course – themes and floats were always carefully guarded before the procession).

One tiny detail differs Mardi Gras’s moving platforms from any other ones – the participants throw away souvenirs from their decorated vehicles – coins, candies, toy and other treats find their new owners in the crowd. The most generous gifts usually come from the platform of a king of the fest who is chosen before the ceremony.

Year after year more companies and regular people tend to take part in this amazing parade. They build animated glittered platforms to impress the public and prepare generous treats. About 1,000 platforms take a ride around the streets annually to impress no less than 3,000 people.

The main dish of the day is ‘Royal Pie’, decorated in traditional Mardi Gras colors: yellow, green and purple. Once you find a tiny doll in your pie – get ready to arrange a party for your friends and bake a pie for the next Mardi Gras. It is a tradition no one is supposed to ignore.

However, all described above can attract only kids with their mamas. Nevertheless, men are there as well, and you won’t believe what they are looking for. We have already mentioned that this fest is a kind of a carnival. In order to make the most eccentric costume for this special day young sexy ladies often cross all borders.

As a result – men get too many aims to stare at and bring home jaw-dropping photos of local beauties wearing nothing more than tiny shorts and necklaces. Those, who don’t believe me, should go for Mardi Gras – count 47 days before Easter and go.