Fun facts about Mardi Gras

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Did you know? While many think Mardi Gras is a single day, the season actually begins on January 6th, which is known as the Feast of the Epiphany.

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28 facts about Mardi Gras

1
The earliest organized Mardi Gras parades were known as torchlight processions, where revelers carried open flames on long poles to light up the night, which sounds like a very dangerous way to celebrate.
2
There is a specific type of king cake that contains a tiny plastic baby, and whoever finds it in their slice is traditionally responsible for buying the next cake.
3
In the 1800s, people didn't catch beads; they caught handmade paper flowers or small candies, which were much less likely to cause a bruise than modern necklaces.
4
The term Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, a name that refers to the final feast of rich, fatty foods before the fasting season of Lent begins.
5
Some parade participants are legally required to wear masks by city ordinance because the original spirit of the tradition was to allow people to hide their social status and party with anyone.
6
In the city of New Orleans, the color purple represents justice, green stands for faith, and gold signifies power.
7
Even though they are called throws, throwing a heavy bag of beads at someone's head is considered very bad etiquette.
8
Some parade floats are so tall that they require special crews to manually lift low-hanging power lines just so the float can pass underneath safely.
9
Mardi Gras is considered a legal holiday in several parishes throughout Louisiana, meaning schools and government offices are often closed.
10
To prevent floats from getting stuck, city engineers have to carefully measure the clearance of traffic lights and overhead wires along the parade routes.
11
In some rural areas, Mardi Gras participants go door-to-door begging for ingredients to make a community gumbo, a tradition known as a chicken run.
12
Some people think Mardi Gras falls on the same date every year, but it actually shifts based on the date of Easter, which changes annually.
13
Ash Wednesday is the day after Mardi Gras, marking the start of a period of reflection and sacrifice.
14
It is technically possible to be hit in the head by a flying moon pie, which is a surprisingly dense marshmallow and cookie sandwich thrown from floats.
15
Many people assume that beads are free for everyone, but the Krewes who ride on the floats spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of their own money to buy their own throws.
16
Mardi Gras is not just a New Orleans tradition; it is celebrated in countries around the world under different names like Carnival, Fasnacht, and Pancake Day.
17
If you ever wondered why people shout throw me something mister, it is because they are hoping to catch a plastic trinket that cost about four cents.
18
In the town of Eunice, Louisiana, revelers participate in a Courir de Mardi Gras where they chase a live chicken on horseback to use in a celebratory gumbo.
19
The first recorded Mardi Gras in the New Orleans area took place at a spot downriver from the city called Point du Mardi Gras in 1699.
20
During the Zulu parade, coconut throws are highly coveted collectibles, but they were once actual hairy coconuts that were so dangerous to throw they resulted in a temporary ban on them.
21
Many people believe Mardi Gras is just one big parade, but it is actually a collection of many different private clubs called Krewes that host their own parades and balls.
22
Mobile, Alabama, claims to host the oldest organized Mardi Gras celebration in the United States, dating back to 1703.
23
The term Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, a name that references the practice of eating rich, fatty foods before the Lenten fasting season.
24
In New Orleans, it is illegal for riders on Mardi Gras floats to be unmasked, a law originally intended to allow people to escape their social class and roles for a day.
25
The tradition of eating King Cake involves a tiny plastic baby hidden inside, and whoever finds the slice containing it is traditionally expected to host the next party or buy the next cake.
26
The official colors of Mardi Gras represent specific virtues: purple stands for justice, green stands for faith, and gold stands for power.
27
Although people often associate Mardi Gras with the entire two-week season, the term actually refers specifically to Fat Tuesday, which is the final day of celebration before the fasting season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.

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Fun facts about Mardi Gras

28 facts about Mardi Gras

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Fun facts about Mardi Gras

28 facts about Mardi Gras

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