Beads, ParAdes and Parties Mardi Gras:

Mardi Gras. A time where people enjoy their favorite fatty foods while running down the streets in colorful masks and beaded necklaces alongside festive parade floats. Have you ever wondered what this festive party down in New Orleans is all about?

Mardi Gras is the french translation for “Fat Tuesday." Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is a widely known Christian holiday that celebrates the last Tuesday before the season of Lent. Mardi Gras will be taking place on Tuesday, February 21 this year. It's celebrated to recognize the last opportunity for many to joyfully eat meat and unhealthy foods before they give them up for the season of Lent. According to www.USCCB.org, Lent is a “40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter.” Christians practice fasting and penance during this time demonstrating their love and commitment to their Lord, Jesus Christ. Committing to Lent can help strengthen individuals' faith and relationship with God.

Carnival, another word for the season of Mardi Gras, is celebrated by many, but according to www.history.com is a legal holiday only in Louisiana. Individuals all around the world still find ways to show their festive spirit through costume and food.

I asked one of our more humorous writers on the Encounter staff what experiences he’s had with Mardi Gras. “Me and my friends got together one year and had a little Mardi Gras celebration and made a shrimp boil,” Frank Piegari said. “We put shrimp, sausage, corn and a bunch of spices together just to see how it would turn out. It was really good!”

Mardi Gras originated in Medieval Europe. www. mardigrasneworleans.com says that “French-Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville arrived at a plot of ground 60 miles directly south of New Orleans. Bienville also established 'Fort Louis de la Louisiane.' In 1703, the tiny settlement of Fort Louis de la Mobile celebrated America’s very first Mardi Gras.” Individuals dress up decked out in purple, green and gold. These colors represent certain aspects of the festival. “Purple Represents Justice. Green Represents Faith. Gold Represents Power”

Mardi Gras’ rich history just makes the festival just that much more exciting. With the season quickly approaching, it’s time to make plans of your own for this year’s Carnival.