Between Editions

A reveler enjoys Fat Tuesday 2006

By John Worthen
News-Times Staff
I think I’m finally going to make the leap and head down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. There’s just something irresistible about colored plastic beads and throngs of people moshing together to get their hands on them.

And the food. Who can resist that?

Before I go, though, I’m researching the history of Mardi Gras. After all, if you’re going to experience something, you might as well know as much about it as you can.

I’ve found everything I needed to know — and more — here at Mardi Gras headquarters.

Are you planning a trip to the Big Easy for carnival? Let us know if you are.

Mardi Gras fact sheet:
• This year, Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras in French) falls on Feb. 5.
• Carnival, which is Latin for “kiss your flesh goodbye,” is a long season between Christmas and Lent. Contrary to popular belief, Mardi Gras only happens on one day, Fat Tuesday. The rest of the festivities are known as carnival.
• Many Mardi Gras parades are family friendly and encourage children and families to attend. The bawdiness mostly occurs in the French Quarter. And, yes, you are likely to see some nudity here, according to seasoned Mardi Gras veterans.
• Mardi Gras did not originate in New Orleans. Several cities in North America lay claim to the first Mardi Gras celebrations on the continent, among them, Mobile, Ala. Carnival festivities date back thousands of years to Europe.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 14th, 2008 at 9:29 pm and is filed under Entertainment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.