Mardi Gras/Carnival

[Lord Manhammer]

With the passing of Epiphany arrives the start of Carnival season which runs from 6 January - 13 February. Do you celebrate Carnival? Have you even been to Mardi Gras or do you want to go? Do you eat any Carnival foods like King Cake?

I have been to Mardi Gras once, and while it was fun, I probably won't go back. It IS as wild as you've heard, and depending on where you are and who are with, can be more so.

 

[soccerdad72]

1. No
2. No/Not really
3. No

 

[Southernmiss]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes

 

[LSUmiss]

With the passing of Epiphany arrives the start of Carnival season which runs from 6 January - 13 February. Do you celebrate Carnival? Have you even been to Mardi Gras or do you want to go? Do you eat any Carnival foods like King Cake?

I have been to Mardi Gras once, and while it was fun, I probably won't go back. It IS as wild as you've heard, and depending on where you are and who are with, can be more so.

There are many areas of the city to celebrate that are family-friendly. Yes to all your questions!

 

[Southernmiss]

New Orleans is not the only place in the US to celebrate Mardi Gras.

Most every town from Galveston,TX to at least Pensacola, Florida has at least a parade with floats, a Mardi Gras ball and a bakery that makes King Cakes and more often than not, numerous balls, parades and bakeries.

There are countless towns with family friendly parades and festivities.

Mardi Gras is only as raucous as you want it to be.

Mardi Gras was brought to the US in 1699 to Mobile, AL/Biloxi/Ocean Springs, MS (New Orleans celebration of Mardi Gras came later) by French explorers who cruised up and down the Gulf of Mexico establishing settlements. And of course, people through the years moved, etc. and brought their traditions with them.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I’ve been in NOLA during the early stages of Mardi Gras when some of the smaller parades occur. It’s pretty normal at that point, but I have no desire to be there going into Fat Tuesday.

We live in the Houston area and have been to Mardi Gras in Galveston numerous times. We haven’t gone in a number of years, but we used to take the kids to pet parade and the children’s parade along the Seawall. We amassed quite the collection of beads, but we gave them away to some teachers (project ideas) when we moved to the northern side of the area.

Side note… I don’t love King Cake.

 

[dznymemories]

We have been to Mardi Gras but so, so long ago. DH was a Navy Corpsman serving his second enlistment in 1961. We had just been married the year before and he was deployed to the Naval Air Station in (I believe it was) Belle Chasse, across the river from New Orleans proper. We lived in the Navy housing apartments. They were short staffed and he had to stay overnight several nights every week. I would take him his dinner on those nights. I remember that the road to the base was very rough, made of crushed seashells, dark with only the lights from the car and dark moss overhanging the road. I was a scared teenager. We also had to replace our tires during the year and a half we were there. Those crushed shells just tore tires up.

One of the older nurses had a beautiful apartment in the Vieux Carre. She took us under her wing and invited us to come to her place for Shove Tuesday. What an experience. I remember walking (trying to walk) down Bourbon Street when two swinging doors opened and two 'gentlemen' came flying out and wrestled on the sidewalk. I also remember a lovely 'lady' who was displaying her attributes on the back of a parked convertible. She did have an unbelievable number of beads though. It was such an eye-opening day for me and the wonderful Navy group we were with made sure we went back across the Mississippi early.

We have never made it back there but one of our grandson's had a Disney Cast Member meet up there for Mardi Gras and brought us home a bag of beads. He also learned how to make a King Cake. I would much rather have Beignets.

 

[bbak30]

Yes! We live in Baton Rouge. Mardi Gras is one of my favorite seasons.
We do several parades around here and spend one day in New Orleans for the big truck parades. We don’t go anywhere near Bourbon Street and avoid New Orleans the weekend before Mardi Gras as well as Mardi Gras Day.
My husband rides in a krewe in Baton Rouge and there are 3 total parades that weekend. You would be surprised how many parades are family friendly. We end the weekend with a big Mardi Gras ball that follows the parade he is in.
We have a blast. And eat tons of king cake!!

 

[HopperFan]

With the passing of Epiphany arrives the start of Carnival season which runs from 6 January - 13 February. Do you celebrate Carnival?

Yes, in a secular way. My dining room is decorated. 6.5' tree all decorated. Tablecloth and runner. Lots of beads. Some of the throws we caught. Garden flag in front, big flag in back. Might have a small gathering with my family although we have hosted big Mardi Gras parties. Banner across foyer balcony.

Have you even been to Mardi Gras or do you want to go?

Two years went to Mobile and had a great time. But it in NO WAY POSSIBLE prepares you for NOLA. You go to a parade, then you have several hours, plenty of time to eat, party and nap. Then another parade, and they last maybe 20-30 minutes. Did enjoy some side events there. Very chill and low key there.

NOLA, DS#2 and I went Friday through Fat Tuesday and we were blown away by the HUGENESS, the organization of folks on the parade routes, roping off their areas, leaving their chairs and kid high chairs. Parades were practically nonstop and lasted hours. My body was a beat up mess ~ especially since I took one Zulu coconut to the head (I did end up with one). One of our favorites was touring Mardi Gras World. The floats they had in there were rolling the next day and full of all the beads to throw. They let us get on the floats and check out the views. Then we got to see those floats in parade.

Parades are outside the Quarter and totally family friendly. Going in the Quarter to "party" is not family friendly. We had fun there too. We came home with at least 50 lbs or more of beads and even donating some to a college event, used at parties we had, and more ... I still have a large box full. Got some great throws. My tree has lots of special ones we caught.

Do you eat any Carnival foods like King Cake?

Absolutely, we sometimes have it shipped from NOLA and sometimes just grab one here but they aren't as good if not fresh.

I have been to Mardi Gras once, and while it was fun, I probably won't go back. It IS as wild as you've heard, and depending on where you are and who are with, can be more so.

I would love to go again, we'll see. We also did NYE in NOLA once and it was my favorite NYE even over NYC. I love NOLA!! I've had multiple voodoo dolls I got there for YEARS.

Laissez les bons temps rouler

 

[NotUrsula]

Born and raised in South Louisiana (though I no longer live there now), so yes, to all of the above. We switched out our door wreath from Christmas to Carnival last Saturday. I make King Cake frequently during the season, we go to lots of parades and parties, and generally revel in the joy of the season. (Visiting family for Mardi Gras is much better than at Christmas; no big meal or gift-exchange expectations.)

Those of us who grew up with the tradition know that the "wild" Carnival events are just one aspect of the season; and are aimed mostly at free-spending tourists. It's very much a family event for the locals (who, btw, are the volunteer force making much of the free entertainment happen); we know where to go to avoid the lunacy and still have a great time.

I'll include an illustration for y'all: this is a family with their parade ladders: they were created to give kids a nice parade view and a safe spot to catch throws, with one of their parents up behind them to balance the weight.. Ladders are placed about 8-10 feet back from the barriers, letting standing adults fill in the space in front. Parade-ladder building is a huge seasonal industry in South Louisiana; almost every family with little kids now uses one when going to parades. You can build the seat yourself, but most folks now buy the seat ready-made and bolt it onto a ladder they already own, though there is also a market for ladder-seat combos with holiday motifs painted on. (The wheels make it an excellent cart for your picnic stuff on the trek to your favorite viewing spot.)


PS: King Cake has improved out of all recognition since I was a child, when it was nothing but plain brioche bread with some icing dribbled on it. Now they are filled with all kinds of delicious things; I'm particularly partial to praline filling, myself, though I also like lemon cheesecake quite a lot.

 

[fly girl]

I have no objection to Mardi Gras, but I don’t really celebrate it as it’s not big where I live.

No desire to go any celebration of it. Carnival, Mardi Gras, NYE are all lumped into one category for me, Amateur Night. Zero desire to be in large crowds of wildly intoxicated people. No flashing for beads in my future! But again, no objection to it. Have fun, do you. Heck, even have a hurricane for me on Bourbon Street.

Yes, I have had king cake. Did not get the baby. Maybe that’s why I’m so bitter about Mardi Gras?

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I'm particularly partial to praline filling, myself, though I also like lemon cheesecake quite a lot.

Loretta's Pralines are my all time favourite.

 

[Moliphino]

Around here it's pączki season.

 

[LSUmiss]

Born and raised in South Louisiana (though I no longer live there now), so yes, to all of the above. We switched out our door wreath from Christmas to Carnival last Saturday. I make King Cake frequently during the season, we go to lots of parades and parties, and generally revel in the joy of the season. (Visiting family for Mardi Gras is much better than at Christmas; no big meal or gift-exchange expectations.)

Those of us who grew up with the tradition know that the "wild" Carnival events are just one aspect of the season; and are aimed mostly at free-spending tourists. It's very much a family event for the locals (who, btw, are the volunteer force making much of the free entertainment happen); we know where to go to avoid the lunacy and still have a great time.

I'll include an illustration for y'all: this is a family with their parade ladders: they were created to give kids a nice parade view and a safe spot to catch throws, with one of their parents up behind them to balance the weight.. Ladders are placed about 8-10 feet back from the barriers, letting standing adults fill in the space in front. Parade-ladder building is a huge seasonal industry in South Louisiana; almost every family with little kids now uses one when going to parades. You can build the seat yourself, but most folks now buy the seat ready-made and bolt it onto a ladder they already own, though there is also a market for ladder-seat combos with holiday motifs painted on. (The wheels make it an excellent cart for your picnic stuff on the trek to your favorite viewing spot.)
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PS: King Cake has improved out of all recognition since I was a child, when it was nothing but plain brioche bread with some icing dribbled on it. Now they are filled with all kinds of delicious things; I'm particularly partial to praline filling, myself, though I also like lemon cheesecake quite a lot.

Yes that is the ONLY Mardi Gras experience that I’ve had in my 44 years. I’ve never been to the fr quarter during Mardi Gras. No interest. It’s gross! We grew up sitting in the ladders & no our kids do.

 

[holden]

Not really. Local bakeries will make king cakes, etc. Donuts are a big thing around here on Mardi Gras. No desire to go to NOLA during MG.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Do you eat any Carnival foods like King Cake?

A dis poster from Baton Rouge sent me a whole King Cake years back. It was very good. And since we had the whole cake, we did get the Baby.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Unfortunately, never done Mardi Gras in traditional North or South America locales. Wasn't for lack of trying though.
Have done versions in the Caribbean and Europe and that was a lot of fun.

Some years in the past when the calendar wasn't too busy we’d throw a dinner party to celebrate.

 

[Buzz Rules]

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mardi-gras

As a Roman Catholic, I obviously observe Ash Wednesday, Lent, and the Easter season as a whole. In regards to Mardi Gras, I make a meat dish that I know I won't be able to make on meatless Fridays and a king cake. I also leave the Epiphany chalk door blessing up until Mardi Gras.

 

[mikehn]

Around me, Mardi Gras is the kickoff to St Patricks festivities. It's like one big party that goes on for like 5 or 6 weeks.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

When I was a practicing Catholic, Fat Tuesday we called Shrove Tuesday and we made donuts or some other type of sweet thing. When I left the church I left all the traditions behind...I don't celebrate Mardis Gras, it's not a thing around my way. New Year's Day is our day to howl.