"The Greatest Free Show on Earth!" - Mardi Gras in New Orleans is an event that must be seen to be appreciated! The Mardi Gras season officially begins on Twelfth Night and continues until the day before Ash Wednesday. It is a time of celebration and release from inhibitions ending at midnight on Fat Tuesday, or MARDI GRAS DAY!

Some Mardi Gras History

The feast of Mardi Gras was brought to America by Iberville and Bienville, when they christened the bayou they discovered on March 3, 1699, Mardi Gras Bayou. They had found it on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.

The earliest reference to Mardi Gras "Carnival" appears in a 1781 report to the Spanish colonial governing body. That year, the Perseverance Benevolent & Mutual Aid Association is the first of hundreds of clubs and carnival organizations formed in New Orleans.

By the late 1830s, New Orleans held street processions of maskers with carriages and horseback to celebrate Mardi Gras. Newspapers began to announce Mardi Gras events in advance.

The first parade was held in 1837. The first float appeared in 1839 - a papier mache' creation.

In 1871, Mardi Gras's second "Krewe" was formed, the Twelfth Night Revelers. They established two carnival traditions. A queen was introduced for the first time at a carnival ball, and the throwing of trinkets was begun by a member of the organization. Both traditions remain to this day in almost all carnival organizations.

1872 a group of businessmen invented a King of Carnival -- Rex -- to parade in the first daytime parade. Rex had been organized to honor the visit of the Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff Alexandrovitch, of pre-revolutionary Russia, to New Orleans. He had made an amorous pursuit of Lydia Thompson, a singer, who had sung a song entitled, "If Ever I Cease to Love." The bands at the Mardi Gras balls obligingly played this song, which became the theme song of Mardi Gras, and has remained the theme song for over a century. Rex also introduced the Mardi Gras colors, and the Mardi Gras flag. The 1892 Rex Parade theme "Symbolism of Colors" gave meaning to the colors: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.

The first floats were constructed entirely in New Orleans instead of France in 1873. In 1875, Governor Warmoth of Louisiana signed the "Mardi Gras Act" making it a legal holiday in Louisiana.

No Mardi Gras celebrations were held for two years during World War I, for four years during World War II, and in 1951, during the Korean War. In 1951, the Krewe of Mars (War) paraded in place of Rex.

A cultural gumbo of European tradition, pagan celebration and religious doctrine, spiced with more than a dash of local flavor, today's Mardi Gras has evolved as an American phenomenon unique to the Gulf Coast region.

History of the King Cake

In European countries, the coming of the the wisemen bearing gifts to the Christ Child is celebrated twelve days after Christmas. The celebration, called Epiphany, Little Christmas or the Twelfth Night, is a time of exchanging gifts and feasting.

 All over the world people gather for festive twelfth night celebrations. One of the most popular customs is still the baking of a special cake in honor of the three kings..."a King's Cake."

The Europeans hide a bean inside their cake and the person receiving the bean must portray one of the kings. Latin-American people put a small figure inside the cake representing the Christ Child. It is said that a year of good fortune awaits the lucky person who gets the figure.

The residents of Louisiana and the Mississippi & Alabama Gulf Coast like the idea of perpetuating the celebration by having the person who received the baby continue the festivities with another party and another cake. Starting the twelfth day after Christmas, King Cake Parties continue until the first day of Lent, ending on Fat Tuesday ... Mardi Gras Day!

Future Dates of Mardi Gras

The fluctuating date of Mardi Gras goes back several centuries to when the Catholic Church established a fixed date for Christmas, but moveable dates for other religious holidays. Easter was set to coincide with the first Sunday after the full moon that follows the Spring Equinox. Easter can fall on any Sunday between March 23 and April 25, Mardi Gras is then scheduled 47 days before Easter and can occur on any Tuesday from February 3 through March 9.

 "Throw me something, mister, its my birthday!" In look for me celebrating and enjoying the good times at Mardi Gras!

MARDI GRAS PARADE KREWES

Most Mardi Gras Krewes today developed from private social clubs that have restrictive membership policies. Each organization, or krewe, pays for its own parade and ball. The parades are a gift to the people of the city; the balls are private parties for the entertainment of the friends of krewe members. Each krewe has its own theme and colors, and tosses beads and trinkets accordingly.

The two weeks before Mardi Gras Day, daily parades, sometimes several in one day, traverse the various streets of New Orleans, and the surrounding Parishes, drawing crowds from around the world, hoping to catch trinkets and beads tossed out.

Since all of the parade organizations are completely funded by its members, it's called the "Greatest Free Show on Earth!"

• The Mystick Krewe of Comus was born in 1857
• The Twelfth Night Revelers emerged in 1871
• Rex, the King of Carnival, held his first reign in 1872
• The Knights of Momus made their debut in 1872

Some other organizations that date back to the 19th century and are still active today:

• 1890 Atlanteans
• 1894 the Elves of Oberon
• 1896 Nereus
• 1897 Mithras

Other Parade Krewes:

• Krewe of ZULU - well known for its interesting history and "golden nugget" (coconut) parade throws.
• Mardi Gras Indians - often considered "Black Mardi Gras" with beautiful beaded and feathered costumes they hand design throughout the entire year!
• Krewe of Bacchus - features national celebrity monarchs each year, and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors.
• Krewe of Endymion - emerged as one of Carnival's 'Super-Krewes' in 1974 with the inclusion of more floats and celebrity guests.
• Krewe of Elks Orleans - a group of over 50 individually designed truck floats that parade following Rex down St. Charles Ave.
• Krewe of Proteus - Founded in 1882 and making its debut with a Parade theme based on Egyptian mythology, the Krewe of Proteus is thus the second oldest Krewe in Carnival history.
• Krewe of Iris - Founded in 1917, first stated parading in 1959 and is the oldest as well as the largest all female Krewe in New Orleans.
• Krewe of Carrollton - Founded in 1924 by a group of local businessmen, Carrollton has a long-standing tradition of rolling exactly at its designated time.
• Krewe of Alla - Founded in 1932, the all-male is one of the largest krewes in the Westbank.
• Krewe of Mid City  - Founded in 1933, is the 5th oldest continuously parading organization of the New Orleans Mardi Gras season.
• Krewe of Choctaw - Founded in 1935, had their first parade in 1939, 4 years after the founding of the organization.
• Krewe of Hermes - Founded in 1937, take their name from the Greek mythos of the winged courier of the gods.
• Knights of Babylon - Founded in 1939, proudly adhere to the traditional float design, which has remain unchanged for over 60 years.
• Krewe of Crescent City - Founded in 1947, the trucks in the Crescent City parade hold over 3,000 male and female riders.
• Krewe of Thoth  - Founded in 1947, is named for the Egyptian Patron of Wisdom and the Inventor of Science, Art and Letters.
• Krewe of Grela - Founded in 1947, takes its name from the comunity where the parade passes through, Grenta, LA.
• Krewe of Okeanos - Founded in 1949, is named for the Greek god of oceans and fertile valleys.
• Krewe of NOMTOC - (New Orleans Most Talked Of Club) - Founded in 1951, began parading on the Westbank (Orleans Parish) in 1971.
• Krewe of Sparta - Founded in 1952, takes its name from the city-state in southern Greece, renowned for its simple, stoic ways and exemplary disciplines.
• Krewe of Pegasus - Founded in 1957, is named for the winged horse of Greek mythology, born of the blood of Medusa.
• Krewe of Zeus - Founded in 1958, was the first to stage a nightime parade in the suburbs of Jefferson Parish where it holds the title of oldest parading organization.
• Knights of Jason - Founded in 1965 as Kenner's only parading organization, became dormant by 1974.
• Krewe of Tucks  - Organized in 1969, has been a crowd favorite for almost 40 years for both its irreverence and its great throws.
• Krewe of Rhea - Founded in 1969, takes its name from Rhea, the daughter of Uranus and the mother of Zeus, a titaness of Greek mythos.
• Krewe of Cleopatra  - Founded in 1972, named after the legendary Queen of Egypt, is the first all-female organization in the Westbank.
• Krewe of Argus - Founded in 1972, takes its name from the Greek God, Argus, the all-seeing with one hundred eyes.
• Krewe of Jefferson - Founded in 1972, is the last truck parade in Jefferson Parish.
• Krewe of Gladiators - Founded in 1973, takes its name from the Roman warriors.
• Krewe of Isis - Founded in 1973, the all female first started parading in Kenner before taking the standard Veterans Memorial Boulevard route In Jefferson Parish.
• Krewe of Elks-Jeffersonians - Founded in 1974, is sponsored by the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks, a worldwide fraternal society dedicated to charitable deeds.
• Krewe of Ponchartrain - organized in 1975 and is named after Lake Ponchartrain.
• Krewe of King Arthur & Merlin - Founded in 1977 on the West Bank, now parades on New Orleans' Uptown route.
• Krewe of Caesar - Founded in 1979, takes the name of an actual historical figure rather than a myth.
• Krewe of Centurions - Founded in 1979, this all-male organization decided to be named after the fabled group of Roman warriors, as the Centurions were leaders of men.
• Corps de Napoleon - Founded in 1980, honors Louisiana's French history by taking its name from France's greatest hero, Napoleon.
• Krewe of Little Rascals  - Founded in 1983, is America's longest running, most flamboyant children's Mardi Gras Krewe in Carnival history.
• Krewe du Vieux  - Founded in 1987, is one of the most anticipated krewes with the hand-made mule-drawn floats and adult themes.
• Krewe of Orpheus - established themselves as a superkrewe with their first parade in 1994 that rolled with 700 riders, a record at the time.
• Krewe of Oshun  - Founded in 1996, is named for the Yoruba goddess of love and intimacy.
• Krewe d'Etat Le Krewe d'Etat - emerged in 1996 as the preeminent krewe and now boasts numerous floats with many riders.
• Krewe of Ancient Druids - Established in 1998, take their name from priest class of ancient Celtic societies who connected their people with the gods and nature.
• Mystic Knights of Adonis - Founded in 1999, shares only a similarity in name to The Mystic Krewe of Adonis which paraded in Orleans Parish during the 1950's.
• Krewe of Excalibur  - Founded in 2000, was named for the legendary sword of King Arthur.
• Krewe of Pygmalion - Founded in 2000, takes its name from the Greek legend of a Cypress king.
• Knights of Chaos - Organized in 2000, is formed by 200 male riders.
• Krewe of Muses - Organized in 2000, named for the daughters of Zeus and patrons of the arts and sciences.
• Krewe of Morpheus - Established in 2000, is named for the Greek god of dreams.
• Krewe of Shangri-La - named after the mythical Eden-like land called "Shangri-La" in the Himalayan mountains.
• Krewe of Barkus - the only Mardi Gras krewe in New Orleans by and for the canine population.
• Krewe of Nemesis - takes its name from Nemesis, the goddess of retribution in the Greek mythology.
• Krewe of Aquila - Taking the Latin word for eagle, this popular Metairie krewe boasts some of the most beautiful court costumes in Mardi Gras.