Carnival season in New Orleans officially starts on January 6, Twelfth Night. More than 70 parades will take place between then and Mardi Gras Day on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. We believe that one of the most fun things about Mardi Gras is discovering the history and fascinating traditions. Test your Carnival knowledge here and book your vacation now.
- DYK the first Mardi Gras beads were thrown by Santa in parade in the early 1900s?
- DYK it’s actually illegal to ride on float without a mask or paint on your face? They say this was because they wanted to encourage people to mingle outside their social circles.
- DYK that, even though Mardi Gras has been celebrated since pagan times, Pope Gregory XIII didn't make it official until 1582 when he put it on his Gregorian calendar?
- DYK the first celebrity monarch of a Mardi Gras parade was Louis Armstrong, King Zulu 1949?
- DYK the Mardi Gras king cake goes back as far back as the 1600s? Originally, a pea or a bean was hidden in the purple, green and gold confection but today’s king cakes mostly contain a baby symbolizing the baby Jesus.
- DYK in England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and even Canada, Mardi Gras is known as “Pancake Day” and is celebrated with the eating of pancakes and by participating in pancake-themed activities?
- DYK that the Krewe of Mid-City, famous for their foil covered floats, was also the first parade to introduce animation to carnival floats?
- DYK the Zulu coconut, the “Golden Nugget,” was the first “signature throw”? In 1987 the state legislature actually passed the "Coconut Bill" to clear Zulu from liability for alleged injuries to those in the crowd. Today Zulu coconuts are handed down, not thrown from floats, and even then only from riders on the bottom decks.
- DYK there are Muses shoes, Nyx purses, Alla Genie Lamps, Iris sunglasses, and Tucks decorated toilet brushes? The king of Tucks actually sits upon a toilet throne as he rides through the city!
- DYK many Best New Orleans Hotels still have rooms available for the weekend parades leading up to Fat Tuesday? Come join the fun! Book now!
Posted:
January 1 2024 | Blog