Mardi Gras

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Service Article(revised)

T'S MARDI GRAS!!!!! Yes, New Orleans' famous Carnival season is this years' never-ending party and you're invited. Mardi Gras, famous for its colorful and cultural parades, is an experience you can't go any longer w/out! The Streets are packed with both tourists and Native Louisianans as they celebrate Mardi Gras in full color and sound. . The Huge Parades come flashing down the street we fresh music, an explosion of lights, and spectacular floats. Everyone is having a great time, enjoying the festivities of the parade. So you're new to Mardi Gras, but don't want to act like it? Here in brief, are the basic facts about Americas' greatest party.

Carnival season begins on January sixth while the actual date of Mardi Gras varies every year. Mardi Gras Day is the "Fat Tuesday" before Ash Wednesday and Lent. Ok, you will need to know a bit about its' history. The origin of Mardi Gras can be traced back to Rome in the middle ages w/ the welcoming of Spring. In 1872, the appearance of Rex as the King of Mardi Gras brought about the presentation of Carnivals' colors, flag and anthem. The colors of Mardi Gras are purple , gold, and green. While they were probably chosen simply because they looked good together, a meaning was assigned to each of them by King Rex. Purple represents "justice", Green stands for "faith", and Gold signifies "power". A group known in the 1830's as the Comus organization established several Mardi Gras traditions such as the word "Krewe" which is the name for the parades members. Comus also chose

mythological names for the Parades for more of a rich tradition. Many of the Popular Parades are named after Greek Gods such as Bacchus, Orpheus, Endymion, and even the African parade, Zulu.

Nowadays, the actual Parades are organized mainly of large colorful floats pulled by tractors or Mack trucks. These floats are usually two stories with large statues and decorations, telling the story of each floats theme. Parades also consist of Marching bands, ROTC/Color Guards, Radio Stations vehicles, and even policemen. The Krewe of the float are dressed in mask and costume for their float. The average Krewe member might spend around three to four hundred dollars on beads and such. While beads and pearls are the main...

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...a stroll or carriage ride through the Quarter and over to Cafe' du Monde. It's famous for it's beignets, a square-shaped donut minus the hole, dusted w/ powdered sugar, great w/ coffee.

The culture of New Orleans is at its best during Mardi Gras. However so are hotels, so if you're planning on making the trip and staying in downtown New Orleans, make reservations a few months in advance. Despite the French Quarters old historic appeal, there are many excellent hotels to stay at. Well, this is how they do it down in "Nawlins", so if you want a bite of culture and fun, Mardi Gras is the place for you. It's just one of those things you have to visit once, take a few friends and family and a note to remind you that you have to go back eventually. Be sure to make it there a few days before the actual Mardi Gras day, to get a feel for it all, b/c after that, it's gone for another year. Treat yourself to something different this year, something fun, something wild, treat yourself to Mardi Gras. Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!! ( Let the good times role)

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