New Orleans: Mardi Gras Madness!

Música, disfraces, desfiles y desenfreno. El carnaval de Nueva Orleans no es muy diferente de la mayoría, pero su espectacular mezcla de culturas lo hace muy especial.

Bandera UK
Sarah Davison

Speaker (UK accent)

Actualizado a

Mardi Gras Madness

Escucha este articulo

Imprimir

At the end of Carnival and before Lent comes Fat Tuesday – or ‘Mardi Gras’, as the French say it. Nowhere in the world is it celebrated more than in New Orleans. The city transforms into a riot of colour, with parades, balls, picnics and parties taking place everywhere during the holiday.
The day of Mardi Gras has been an official holiday in the state of Louisiana since 1875, when Governor Henry C. Warmoth signed the Mardi Gras Act. However, its origins go back to the turn of the 17th century. The first official Mardi Gras celebration took place in 1703 in the capital of French Louisiana, a town called Fort Louis de la Louisiane, which today is Mobile, Alabama. The capital was moved to New Orleans a couple of decades later, and Mardi Gras became an important event in the city’s calendar. Soon, its festivities became famous across the whole state.

PARTY PLANNING

This year, Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday February 13th, but the party starts at the weekend. The festivities are planned by private organisations called ‘krewes’. Each krewe has its own identity and theme. One of the oldest, the Rex Krewe, introduced the official colours of gold, purple and green in 1872. Every year, it makes special coins called ‘doubloons’ that are collected by visitors.

MARDI GRAS INDIANS

In the days before racial integration, African-Americans held their own Mardi Gras celebrations. They named their krewes after imaginary Indian tribes, because local Indians had helped escaped slaves in the past. The krewe names were a tribute to that support.

Today, they are known for their spectacular costumes, made with feathers and beads. They and the other krewes take part in the parades, which seem to get more extravagant every year. The parades consists of floats. People riding on the floats throws little gifts into the crowds, such as beaded necklaces, trinkets or, in the case of the Rex Krewe, doubloons. This is a popular Mardi Gras tradition.

MASQUERADE BALLS

Masks are one of the defining features of Mardi Gras. Actually, people in the parades have to wear a mask by law! In the evening, there are many masquerade balls, where people wear elaborate masks which add to the excitement. Each krewe hosts its own ball and you need to buy a ticket to attend
In fact, Mardi Gras is a lucrative event for New Orleans, generating more than $1 billion every year. However, most events are free. That is why Mardi Gras is often called the ‘Greatest Free Show on Earth’!  

Train Spotting: A Curious Hobby
iStock

Culture

Train Spotting: A Curious Hobby

Acuden a las estaciones de tren en su tiempo libre, pero no van a ningún lado. Son los train spotters, entusiastas de los trenes a quienes les gusta verlos pasar y anotar sus características. Una afición que define el carácter de toda una nación.

Hengeli Haupt

 Freddie Mercury: Bohemian Rhapsody
Shutterstock

People

Freddie Mercury: Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody es la película sobre la vida del vocalista y líder de Queen. Considerado por muchos como el mejor cantante de rock y pop de la historia, Freddie Mercury continúa siendo un icono tanto por su calidad artística como por su carisma.

Fergal Kavanagh

More in Explore

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Me, My Selfie and I: The Institute of Art and Ideas

Culture

Me, My Selfie and I: The Institute of Art and Ideas

La mayoría de nosotros tenemos un yo online, una imagen que construimos a menudo con la ayuda de numerosos selfies. Pero ¿qué relación tiene con nuestro yo real? ¿Puede esta obsesión con la imagen conducir a la felicidad, o pone en peligro nuestra propia identidad y las relaciones con los demás?

Alex Phillips

LAST CALL! Mejora tu inglés por solo 1€/mes ¡Es el momento! Mejora tu nivel de inglés con un método sencillo que se adapta a ti. Cancela cuando quieras.