Info about Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras Celebrations around the World
Mardi Gras is an important date in the Christian calendar. It is the period from the beginning of end of Epiphany which falls in early January till the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday which falls in February. From Ash Wednesday starts the Lent that leads up to Easter. Given that Lent is a period of ascetic living, the Mardi Gras is really a period of carnival and festivals around the world.
Mardi Gras is actually a French term which means Fat Tuesday. The reason for this being that on the last night of Mardi Gras, people tend to gorge on fatty foods and delicacies as it would be their last big meal till Easter. Truly the Mardi Gras is a great period of fun and frolic.
Depending on which part of the world you are in, the Mardi Gras festivities could last the full duration from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday or just the last three days. Regardless of how long it lasts, it is a time for costumes, carnival parades, music, dance and just plenty of entertainment and fun.
• Mardi Gras Celebrations in France
Mardi Gras celebrations kind of start off in France and spread to the rest of Europe several centuries ago and over the years to many other regions in the world influenced by Europeans during the colonial era. A very popular celebration parade in France is from Nice. Here people wear costumes with big head and very small body that makes for a comical look.
• Mardi Gras Celebrations in US
Mardi Gras is not a national celebration in US. It is very popular and regular in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana which have a strong French influence. Among these the biggest festival celebrations takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Today in many modern places, these celebrations are akin to the ones in New Orleans. Interestingly this is not a new concept too. It is a 200 year old tradition even in this city. It was not all about parades and wide scale celebrations in New Orleans always. It too has undergone a sea change in the way the festival is celebrated.
Today the parades are organised by private social clubs and funded by them. In a sense the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations are the Greatest Free Show in Earth.
• Mardi Gras Celebrations in Canada
Canada is a rich tradition from both English and French connections. The celebrations here kind of map the ones in their original roots. There are big celebrations in major cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and others. The Quebec winter carnival is the biggest event of its type in the world and is celebrated during Mardi Gras.
• The Rest of the world
There are many other countries in the world where Mardi Gras is celebrated with a lot of pomp. For example in Binche, Belgium, Mardi Gras is the most important day of the year. Similarly many other countries celebrate it on small and large scale depending on the importance they assign to this day.