March is the month of Mardi Gras and if you don’t know what that is then I’m here to educate you. Mardi Gras is a Christan holiday and cultural phenomenon that dates back thousands of years. Every year the people of New Orleans celebrate Mardi Gras and begin the season with fasting and celebration called Lent. The first American Mardi Gras took place on March 3, 1699, when French explorers Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville and Sieur de Bienville landed near what is now New Orleans, Louisiana. They held a small celebration and named their landing spot Point du Mardi Gras. In the decades since, New Orleans and other French settlements began marking the holiday with street parties, masked balls and lavish dinners. As Mardi Gras evolved, other customs came to be, such as throwing beads and other trinkets, wearing masks, decorating floats and eating King Cake, creating an iconic part of the celebration. Across the globe, this festive holiday brings people of all types together to enjoy a week-long celebration of fasting and colorful festivities. 

Fun Facts:

• “Mardi Gras” translates directly to “Fat Tuesday”

• The official colors of Mardi Gras are purple, gold, and green

• New Orleans became a Mardi Gras hotspot in 1857 when floats were introduced to the city’s parade for the first time

• “If I Cease to Love” is the anthem of Mardi Gras