How Big Is Mardi Gras?
It’s very big. The most recent season included 54 parades and featured 1,061 floats, 588 marching bands, and more than 135,000 participants. The combined parade routes covered 301 miles and the processions were on the street for 204 hours. In 2000, it was estimated that more than one billion dollars in spending was tied to Mardi Gras.
When Is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras is scheduled 47 days before Easter, and can occur on any Tuesday from February 3rd to March 9th.
Were You Affected By Hurricane Katrina?
When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Kern Studios and Mardi Gras World sustained severe wind damage. With the buildings still intact, including the many generators Kern Studios uses to provide electricity during parades, the 82nd Airborne, Red Cross, and Salvation Army eventually used Mardi Gras World as a base to help others more seriously affected.
Has Mardi Gras Ever Been Cancelled?
Yes, but not often. Since 1857, only 13 Fat Tuesdays have been affected. Most cancellations were caused by wars:
Civil, WWI, WWII, and Korean.
What Do The Colors Mean?
Purple represents justice, green is for faith, and gold signifies power. Rex, the first king of Carnival, selected them in 1872.
Is Mardi Gras A Religious Holiday?
Technically, yes. Most people do not realize that New Orleans is a predominately Catholic City and that Mardi Gras is a celebration inspired by Catholic tradition and ideology. More than anything, Mardi Gras is an inclusive event for everyone which revels in life and love, family and friends, music and food. Together, we appreciate all the things that make life exciting and worth living, before some of us begin our 47 days of fasting and self-reflection, called Lent.
