Mardi Gras with Margaret

Margaret is a ten-year-old girl with hearing aids who loves rock climbing, arts and crafts, and reading Hearing Our Way. Margaret lives in New Orleans, Louisiana with her mom, dad, older brother Connor, little sisters Lyla and Mary Grace, and puppy Quigley. Did you know that New Orleans is considered the home of Mardi Gras? Margaret’s here to tell you all about it.

What is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras is a fun holiday celebration where family and friends come together to celebrate before Lent. It started a long time ago and has been part of New Orleans since the city was founded.

Mardi Gras is fun for the whole family.

When is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras isn’t always on the same day each year. It usually falls in February or March, 47 days before Easter. Fat Tuesday is always on the day before Ash Wednesday, but in New Orleans, we don’t celebrate just one day—our celebrations go on for weeks! Mardi Gras season actually starts in January here.

What do people in New Orleans do for Mardi Gras?

There are lots of parties, fancy balls, and parades. Kids in New Orleans get six whole days off of school to celebrate. We go to lots of parades with our friends, and we eat a special cake called King Cake every Friday at school. People wear lots of fun costumes, and sometimes we like to paint our faces.

What is your favorite parade?

My favorite parade is called Muses. It is one of the most famous parades. I also really like the parades that take place at night because the krewes (people in the parade) throw lots of glow in the dark things like beads, balls, and toys. All the kids wave to the floats and yell, “Throw me something, Mister!” After the parades, we like to go home and trade with each other.

The night parades are some of Margaret's favorites.

Does hearing loss affect you during Mardi Gras?

There are lots of bands and music at the Mardi Gras parades. It can be so loud! Sometimes I turn my hearing aid volume down if it’s too loud. One time, my hearing aids ran out of batteries at the parade. That was a hard lesson, so now we always pack extra batteries before going to the parades. I always stay close to my parents at the parades because they are very crowded with people.

Margaret collects LOTS of beads!

What is the best part about living in New Orleans?

Mardi Gras is the best part, of course. It is so much fun to see all the parades and floats. Living here, it feels like the Mardi Gras celebration goes on forever. Really, it only goes on for about a month, but we look forward to it all year long. I have been to Mardi Gras every year of my life, except for the year they canceled it due to Covid.

What else do you love about New Orleans?

To me, New Orleans means good food like crawfish, beignets, and king cake. Also, we have the best music like brass bands and jazz. New Orleans is so much fun. Come visit!

Sights and sounds of Mardi Gras:

King cake

Carnival

Parade float

Jazz music

Beads

Masks & Costumes