Mardi Gras, New Orleans

When you think of Mardi Gras, you can well imagine Southern Belles, in their elaborate and ornate dresses, twirling around lavishly at the latest masked ball. You might also imagine the New Orlean's area as a playground over which, Bacchus held court. But above all, Mardi Gras will always be it's very own, unique feast and celebration of good food and good drink.

French Canadian explorer Pierre LeMoyne Sieur d'Iberville, who was the cousin to the famous explorer Rene-Robert de La Salle, brought the Mardi Gras to Louisiana in 1699. On March 3 of 1699, Iberville had set up a camp on the west bank of the river about 60 miles south of where New Orleans is today. This was the day Mardi Gras was being celebrated in France. In honor of this important day, Iberville named the site Point du Mardi Gras.

By 1735 Mardi Gras was celebrated openly on the plantations by slaves. On Sundays in 1744, 'free men of color' celebrated Mardi Gras openly. In the late 1700's pre-lenten balls were held in New Orleans. In 1793 there was an orderly parade in Mobile, as opposed to the infamously rowdy celebrations which were occurring in New Orleans. There was approximately two decades when the balls were prohibited, but pressure by the Creole populace again allowed the balls to continue. In 1827 street masking was legalized and Creoles had now established full control over the Mardi Gras celebrations.

Mardi Gras is celebrated on Shrove Tuesday which is the final day before the Christian fast of lent which is a forty day period of self-denial and abstinence from merrymaking. That is where the term Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, came from. Basically it's the transition from famine to feast.

The Cowbellion de' Rankin paraded through the streets in 1835, making it the first reference to a parade in New Orleans. The first fully documented parade occurred in 1837. The revelers formed long lines of horses and mule drawn carriages. They were so violent and rowdy during the next two decades that the press called for the celebration to cease, which was unsuccessful. In 1839 the first recordings of 'Mardi Gras Floats' were reported in the newspapers L'Abe'lle and Courior. In 1857 the Mardi Gras began a total reconstruction, into a structure that exists to this day. It was called upon by the Comus organization to form a 'krewe' which are the masking and parading clubs that made New Orleans famous. The krewes have a ranking structure such as royalty, and they choose the basic theme for the parade. See the link on Krewes for more information on the different (and principle) Krewes.

In 1871 the second Krewe emerges and chooses their Queen by drawing a golden bean from a King Cake. Over the next few years the structure of Mardi Gras' Royalty is firmly intact. By 1882 the sixth Krewe had been established. In 1889, at the advent of electricity, the first electric parade was held. In 1892 the parade proclaims the colors purple, gold and green to symbolize Justice, power and faith. In 1904 is the first mention of a jazz funeral. 1910 is the first recorded reference of the modern Zulu parade. In 1919 a fire tragically destroyed the French Opera House which was home to several Tableau Balls since 1859. In 1926 the first Children's Carnival Ball was established. In 1938 neon lights add their mystique to the parade. In 1949 Louis Armstrong becomes the first celebrity 'King' under the Zulu Krewe.

In 1950 a mock Duke and Duchess of Windsor are permitted to appear at the parade. Horses are replaced by tractors, to tow the large floats. Several more Krewes are added through the 50's and 60's. In 1963 the Gallier Hall toast, which had been traditional, was reinstated. 1971 sparked the threat of the 'hippie invasions' which turned out to prove groundless. By 1973 the parades were so elaborate and huge that they were banned from the French Quarter area. In 1977 the first publication of The Mardi Gras Guide came out. In 1979 a police strike would cause thirteen parades to be cancelled.

Throughout the '80's became another resurgance of new Krewes trying to add their mark to the Mardi Gras' rich heritage. In 1992 several Krewes have their last showing in the parade, and they broke the record of monetary losses of six consecutive years. By 1996 over $900 million is being spent at the Carnival. In 1999 Mardi Gras Coconuts sets up their website to include a yearly report on the coverage of Mardi Gras events. By 2000, the Mardi Gras was topping the one billion mark, a great influx of money into the New Orleans economy. In 2002, though bringing revenues of it's own, the Super Bowl XXXVI came to New Orleans, causing some major financially headaches. They were headaches because Mardi Gras had to work around the Superbowl and all it's financially obligations.

In 2005 the Mardi Gras Digest Magazine is launched. After the devistation of New Orleans in 2005, by Hurricane Katrina, the city reluctantly holds the parade in 2006. The city of New Orleans struggles to retain commercially the image of the once elaborate showpiece that is Mardi Gras. In 2008, because of the presidential elections, Mardi Gras is held on it's earliest date. Several float breakdowns marred the parade. So in retrospection, the new millennium was turning out to be a difficult time for the event. Nevertheless, New Orleaners have been used to digging down a little deeper and overcoming their hardships. Mardi Gras is all about a supreme labor of love as well as grit and determination.


Mardi Gras is the symbolic tossing of necklaces, overly exagerated figures, and a general 'larger-than-life' kind of feel to it. With Bourbon street and it's balconies choked with people it is a formidable representation of America's historical past. The celebration features many ornate period dresses, dating back to the 18th century. Roughly 300,000 - 400,000 people attend Mardi Gras today.

The cuisine of the Mardi Gras would feature Gumbo, Jambalaya, Grits, Oysters Rockefeller, Red Beans and rices, Southern fried Chicken, fried Calamari, and a whole range of delictable cajun specialties. Cajun is considered more of a country food, where Creole is more elegant and sophisticated.

Temperatures at the Mardi Gras typically range from the 50's to the high 60's.

Mardi Gras' history is as rich as the old south with all it's charm and appeal. At times the Bourbon street area during Mardi Gras would more closely represent some sort of Bacchus-like image. Whether it is depicted as stately elegance and the epitome of the classic parade, or it is shown in it's more lascivious, raucous nature, Mardi Gras' legacy will forever be written in America's rich past as a grand lady befitting of the term 'carnival'.

Important Links:
http://www.atneworleans.com/
http://www.cityofno.com/
http://www.experienceneworleans.com/
http://www.foodieview.com/
http://www.mglinks.com/ The official Mardi Gras directory.
http://www.tourneworleans.com/
http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312226/history.htm/
http://www.mardigrasday.com/
http://www.mardigrasworld.com/
http://www.holidays.net/mardigras/didyouknow.htm/
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Ibervill.html/
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/
http://www.neworleansancestry.com/
http://www.neworleansonline.com/
http://www.neworleanstours.net/
http://www.novareinna.com/festive/krewes.html/ Information on Krewes.
http://www.cajunradio.org/top40mardigras.html/
http://www.kitchenproject.com/history/MardiGras/index.htm/
http://www.inetours.com/New_Orleans/Mardi_Gras.html/
http://www.mobilecarnivalmuseum.com/
http://www.mardigrasrecords.com/