🎉 Mardi Gras
Carnival's climax in New Orleans: krewe parades, beads, king cake and purple-green-gold — the Tuesday before Lent.
| Aliases | Fat Tuesday, Carnival (New Orleans) |
|---|---|
| Alternate names | Shrove Tuesday |
| Entity type | 🎉 Holiday |
| Permanent ID | E062 |
| Parent topic | History & Culture |
| Wikidata | Q104566 |
| Wikipedia | Mardi_Gras_in_New_Orleans |
About Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras — Fat Tuesday — is the climax of New Orleans' Carnival season: private clubs called krewes stage parades, riders throw beads and signature prizes, and the city runs on purple, green and gold.
The season opens on Twelfth Night (January 6) and the date floats with Easter (47 days before). Rex, Comus and Zulu are the historic krewes every quiz asks about.
Timeline
| 1857 | Mystick Krewe of Comus founded. |
| 1872 | Rex establishes king and colors. |
| 1909 | Zulu founded. |
| Today | Dozens of krewes parade each season. |
Famous Examples & Highlights
- Fat Tuesday — 47 days before Easter
- Krewes run the parades
- Rex's 1872 colors
- Zulu's golden coconut
Relationships
| Country of origin | United States |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Related holiday | Carnival |
Parent & Child Topics
Parent: History & Culture
Opposite & Comparison Entities
No natural opposite recorded for this entity in the graph.
See Also & Related
Related Quizzes
Covered In These Guides
Full guides and practice quizzes: Bing Mardi Gras Quiz.