Essay On Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is one of the biggest hits in the city of New Orleans. It’s not just the fun from the parades that bring all of the guests together; it’s also the culture and history behind the holiday. The green, purple, and gold colors all play a special part in this holiday season. Mardi Gras has a very interesting and far back history.

Mardi Gras has been around for a very long time. It originated in the 1800s. When most people think of Mardi Gras, they think of floats, throws, parties, and lots of fun. The original meaning for the celebration is not what it is mostly known for today. “‘Carnival,’ to distinguish between Mardi Gras day itself and the entire period between Twelfth Night and Lent, is observed by a series of balls and parades presented by a variety of organizations which represent almost every national and social group in the city” (Cohen 110). These parades

and groups that participate in this holiday reveal a manner that can be traced back to New Orleans, the birthplace of Mardi Gras. The names of floats and krewes normally come from Greek descent, even though it is thought to be a Christian holiday by many. “The largest group of krewes with names of Greek origin are those named after mythological figures” (Cohen 112). Another type of carnival names are Arabic or from Near Eastern origin.
Being in a Mardi Gras krewe is not as easy as just signing up and showing up as some think of it. It actually costs a lot of money to be in some parade. “Members of the intricate krewe system pay astronomical annual dues to belong, but also fork over about $500 each just for the stash of goodies they toss to the waving parade crowds” (Campbell 40). Some people think it is more important to participate and spend this much money than it is to do other things. Parades can not go on if they do not have enough people in them and each parade has to have a certain number of floats. “They are required at least 13 floats each, and Mardi Gras World makes about 4,000 of those a year (Campbell 40). The floats are not just thrown together in one whole day, it takes multiple attempts to get the perfect float.
Mardi Gras Season is one of the largest holidays celebrated in Louisiana.

“Also known as Carnival, it is celebrated in many countries around the world–mainly those with large Roman Catholic populations–on the day before the religious season of Lent begins” (Staff). There are many people belonging to the Catholic beliefs in Louisiana, so this is one of the reasons it is such a big hit. Not only did Mardi Gras originate somewhere else, but so did Christianity. “Along with Christianity, Mardi Gras spread from Rome to other European countries, including France, Germany, Spain and England” (Staff). These great things eventually migrated to the U.S. and are now here where they are regularly practiced.

Mardi Gras has been big one of the biggest things celebrated in Louisiana over the last few hundred years. It is known for not just one certain thing, but for many. There are many things that symbolize this holiday. This tradition is the biggest in the City of New Orleans. This holiday just keeps growing larger every year! Carnival is the best if you know all of the history about

it!