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photo
provided by MardiGrasPAradeSchedule.com
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| New
Orleans….the mere mention of the
name conjures up pictures of floats, maskers, beads,
doubloons and the pure joy of Mardi Gras. From the
family atmosphere of St. Charles and Napoleon Avenues,
to the party feel of the downtown and French Quarter
areas, there is a place to parade watch for everyone
of every age and size. The celebration that is Mardi
Gras is deeply rooted in the French tradition of
New Orleans. |
| The
celebration that is Mardi Gras
is deeply rooted in the French tradition of
New Orleans. Begun as a "New World"
carryover from the pre-Lenten Parisian Mardi
Gras, the New Orleans festivities evolved
from private balls to foot parades to float
parades (started in the mid 1800s) to the
extravaganzas of today. The organizations
that provide the Mardi Gras parades and balls
are called "krewes". All do so at
their own expense, thus providing what has
many times been called the "Greatest
Free Show on Earth". The Mardi Gras celebration
begins on January 6 (Feast of the Epiphany
also known as Kings Day) and continues through
Mardi Gras Day (the day before Ash Wednesday).
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photo
provided by MardiGrasPAradeSchedule.com
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|
| The
traditional "king cake" is associated
with and eaten during the entire Mardi Gras season.
Also during this time, most carnival krewes have
their balls or supper dances. Formal parades in
New Orleans and the surrounding parishes begin about
two weeks before Mardi Gras Day. The festivities
reach a crescendo on the weekend before Mardi Gras
Day and that level continues through Fat Tuesday.
Houses, lampposts, people, and even horses are dressed
in the colors ofMardi Gras-purple, green and gold. |
|
photo
provided by MardiGrasPAradeSchedule.com
|
| New
Orleans for a brief time each year is transformed
into a place where the everyday world is cast
aside. Beads, doubloons, cups, and numerous other
krewe throws are tossed to thousands of happy
parade goers shouting,
"Throw me something, mister. "
Laissez les bon temps rouler
text
provided by Travelnola.com
|
Traditions
of Mardi Gras
How
did Mardi Gras begin? In 1699, Mardi
Gras was first mentioned in North America. A French
explorer camped by the Mississippi River, fifty
miles south of today's New Orleans, named Pierre
le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville, first brought the
term to the United States.
King
Cakes Hundreds of King cake parties
are held in New Orleans every year. After the
cake is served, the cry "I've got the baby"
announces that a party-goer has received the slice
of cake containing the baby or bean.
King
Cake History Hidden in each oblong
of braided coffee-cake dough is a bean or plastic
baby; custom dictates that whoever finds it must
give the next King cake party. And one Mardi Gras
organization even uses a King cake tradition to
choose the queen of its annual ball.
History
of Mardi Gras Today, Louisiana's
Mardi Gras is celebrated not only in New Orleans,
but also in numerous smaller cities and towns
around the State and in the neighboring Gulf Coast
Region.
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MARDI
GRAS - 2008
Schedules, Routes and Pictures |
| *ALL
INFORMATION SUBJECT TO CHANGE |
| |
| SATURDAY,
JANUARY 6TH |
| •
Phunny Phorty Phellows - New Orleans |
| SATURDAY,
JANUARY 19th |
| •
Krewe
du Vieux - French Quarter 7:00 p.m. |
| FRIDAY,
JANUARY 25th |
•
Oshun
- Uptown 6:00 p.m.
• Pygmalion
- Uptown 7:00 p.m. |
| SATURDAY,
JANUARY 26th |
•
Pontchartrain
- Uptown 1:00 p.m.
• Shangri-La
- Uptown 2:00 p.m.
•
Sparta
- Uptown 6:00 p.m.
• Pegasus
- Uptown 6:45 p.m. |
| SUNDAY,
JANUARY 27th |
•
Carrollton
- Uptown 12:00 p.m.
• King
Arthur - Uptown 1:15 p.m.
• Barkus
- French Quarter 2:00 p.m. |
| TUESDAY,
JANUARY 29th |
| •
Ancient
Druids - Uptown 6:00 p.m. |
| WEDNESDAY,
JANUARY 30th |
| •
Muses - Uptown 7:30 p.m.
|
| THURSDAY,
JANUARY 31st |
•
Babylon
- Uptown 5:45 p.m.
•
Chaos - Uptown 6:30 p.m. |
| FRIDAY,
February
1st |
•
Hermes
- Uptown 6:00 p.m.
•
Krewe
d'Etat - Uptown 6:30 p.m.
• Morpheus
- Uptown 7:45 p.m. |
| SATURDAY,
February
2nd |
•
Iris
- Uptown 11:00 a.m.
•
Tucks
- Uptown 12:30 p.m.
• Endymion
- Uptown 4:30 p.m. |
| SUNDAY,
February
3rd |
•
Okeanos
- Uptown 11:00 a.m.
•
Thoth
- Uptown 11:30 a.m.
•
Mid-City - Uptown 2:00 p.m.
• Bacchus
- Uptown 5:15 p.m. |
| MONDAY,
February
4th |
•
Proteus - Uptown 5:15 p.m.
•
Orpheus - Uptown 5:45 p.m. |
| MARDI
GRAS DAY, February
5th 2008 |
•
Zulu
- Uptown 8:00 a.m.
• Rex
- Uptown 10:00 a.m.
• Elks
Orleans - Uptown11:30 a.m.
• Crescent
City - Uptown after Elks |
|
