But what is Mardi Gras? Very simply and quickly, Fat Tuesday.
In the southern USA in recent years, it is celebrated and in a big way. We all know that in Italy it is a minor holiday, and many do not celebrate it, but then why is it such a big thing here?
Let’s take a step back and review a bit of history.
Around 1750, Nouvelle-Orléans (now known as New Orleans) was the capital of Louisiana or New France. The territory expanded from the Gulf of Mexico to the great lake region. As mentioned, the territory was a French outpost, and consequently Catholic. The Catholic presence was so desired that even the papacy itself sponsored Jesuit expeditions and settlements also founding Ville-Marie or modern Montreal.
Fast Forward. The United States unifies, but the French root remains strong in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. Mardi Gras is considered the period from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday in New Orleans, while other places consider Mardi Gras to be the three-day period preceding Ash Wednesday. In Alabama, Mardi Gras is a period that begins in November.
Starting on Bourbon Street, the beating heart of the festivities in New Orleans, Mardi Gras has expanded like a wave and is now celebrated, more or less, during February throughout the South of the USA. The celebration includes parades, beads, costumes, and a soul that only the South can offer.
