MARDI GRAS

Mardi Gras also known as Shrove Tuesday will be celebrated on Tuesday, February 21, 2023! Mardi Gras also called Shrove Tuesday is the beginning of  the Christian observance of Lent, which lasts about 6 weeks and ends just before Easter.

You will sometimes hear Mardi Gras referred to as “Carnival.” Technically, this term refers to the period of feasting  in cities such as New Orleans (U.S.), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and Venice (Italy)  where there are week-long festivals leading up to Mardi Gras.

In French, Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday.” This name comes from the tradition of using up eggs, milk and fat in ones pantry because they were forbidden during the 40-day Lenten fast. Therefore, a big part of Shrove Tuesday is eating an abundance of delicious fried food, especially donuts and pancakes!

The word “carnival” also comes from this feasting tradition: in Medieval Latin, carnelevarium means “to take away or remove meat,” from the Latin carnem for meat. During Lenten, many people traditionally gave up meat  and mainly ate fish.

Mardi Gras was celebrated in New Orleans soon after the city’s founding in 1718. The first recorded Mardi Gras street parade in New Orleans took place in 1837.  Now a major metropolis, New Orleans is the city most known for its extravagant celebrations with parades, dazzling floats, masked balls, cakes and drink.

“I think that I may say that an American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi Gras in New Orleans.” Mark Twain, (1835 – 1910)