Fat Tuesday Tue, Mar 05, 2019

Yesterday was Mardi Gras! Just in case you missed it here is some interesting information so next year you can be more informed.

Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday. It's also called Shrove Tuesday, Carnival Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday in other parts of the world. It is a celebration prior to Lent that focuses on opulent indulgences. What began as a holiday rooted in religious tradition has become a cultural phenomenon. While the first Mardi Gras in America was celebrated in Alabama, most of what we associate with Mardi Gras now all started in New Orleans in the 1830s.

The Spanish had outlawed the celebration in New Orleans from 1762 - 1800 and this ban was continued when the American government took over. Then in 1837 a secret society called Mistick Krewe of Comus held a parade with the theme of “The Demon Actors in Milton’s Paradise Lost.” The colors of this society were green, purple and gold. Other societies started taking part in the parade and it grew into what it is today.