Mardi Gras in New Orleans

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The celebration of Carnaval, as a prelude to the Catholic season of Lent, is a tradition that extends around the western world. Lent, a time of meditation before Holy Week, is preceded by this festival in which processions, banquets, and dances, among other things, are celebrated. The most well-known carnavals in the world are those in Venice and Rio de Janeiro, however in New Orleans, Louisiana in the United States, there is a very beautiful and entertaining carnaval.

The last and most important date of the New Orleans carnaval is the day known as Mardi Gras (a phrase derived from the French, meaning “Fat Tuesday”). On this day the celebrations become bulliciosas… and happy, and bring the central processions to their highest point, like the Krewe Rex.

The Krewes or cofradias are associations of people that take care of the processions, events, or parties. They are equivalent to the samba schools of the Rio Carnaval. Some of the most well-known Krewes are: Comus (the oldest of all), Proteus, Rex, Momus, Hermes, D’Etat, Tucks, Twelfth Night Revelers, Elves of Oberon, High Priests of Mithras, and Endymion or Bacchus.

This celebration has its origins in the early French colonization of the state of Louisiana in the XVII century. The celebrations are at their height mainly in the streets of Bourbon and Canal, and Saint Charles Avenue. Contrary to what is believed outside the city, Carnaval and Mardi Gras are family celebrations with some unbridled customs appearing later in the day, but in such a way that people of every age can enjoy the party.