Did You Celebrate "Fat Tuesday"?

A night of eating rich, fatty foods--this is what Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday" in English, is all about. Or, at least, indulgence before Lent is why Mardi Gras came to be. Nowadays, we think of parades, flamboyant colors, necklaces made out of beads, and people just generally having a good time.

On a typical day of celebration, people wear masks and costumes, overturn social conventions, dance, hold sports competitions, throw parades, and engage in good old debauchery.

You don't see celebrations for the holiday all throughout the United States, but we probably know Mardi Gras best in New Orleans, Louisiana, where the holiday is legally recognized by the state. 

Mardi Gras isn't just a day in Louisiana--it's two whole weeks. Usually, you can see at least one major parade in the streets of New Orleans every day of those two weeks, weather permitting. In the final week, there are a ton of fun events, large and small. The biggest and baddest demonstrations, however, take place on the last five days of the season.

You might think that Bourbon Street and the French Quarter are the major places to visit when celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans. If you do, you think wrong. None of the major parades have entered the French Quarter since 1972 because of the narrow streets and overhead obstructions. Instead, check out the Uptown and Mid-City districts and follow a route along St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street, on the upriver side of the French Quarter.

On the other hand, if you're only really interested in exposing your body parts, i.e. flashing, you'd probably want to check out Bourbon Street anyways. The Uptown and Mid-City parade routes are typically family-friendly gatherings and have policemen frowning upon those who want to get a little more wild than others.

In France, Mardi Gras is very different from the United States. The celebrations are child-focused. Young kids prepare masks and costumes in school to parade with their teachers and friends the Saturday following, for which schools open up especially. They go around the block, throwing confetti and just having a good time. It's a very cute, family-friendly celebration. 

Some call Mardi Gras the single person's counter to Valentine's Day, so if you didn't have the best time on the so-called "day of love," hopefully you treated yourself this past fat Tuesday. Bon Mardi Gras!