Mardi Gras Feb 12 2013

Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday, is the last day of feasting before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. It was common to use up your fat and sugar before Lent begins so different cultures offer different delicacies. In Milwaukee with its large Polish population we think Paczki (a jelly filled sugared donut), in New Orleans its King Cake. http://mardigrasday.com/mardigras/kcrecip.php
http://catholicism.about.com/od/catholicliving/tp/Fat_Tuesday_Recipes.htm


But did you know Mardi Gras is really a season? Purists will refer to the season as Carnival but many refer to it as Mardi Gras. Starting on Twelfth Night (Epiphany) Jan 6 or King's Day (since the Wise Men were alledged to arrive in Bethlehem on that day) a season of parties and parades begin. One typically held on Epihany is by Phunny Phorty Phellows - Streetcar Route, 7:00 p.m. Then the weekends start to be the focus for more parades until the final week before Ash Wednesday when there is something going on every day.

Historically speaking it was Pope Gregory XIII who made it a Christian holiday when, in 1582, he put it on his Gregorian calendar (the 12-month one we still use today). In America, parades started around 1838 but private parties has started before that along with the custom of the baby in the King Cake predicting who would have the next party.

For the latest Mardi Gras information see
http://www.nola.com/mardigras/index.ssf/2013/02/mardi_gras_2013_is_almost_here.html


From the end of January there are parades almost every weekend and during the last week almost every day in New Orleans
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/schedule.html
http://www.mardigrasday.com/schedule.php


More Mardi Gras Food
http://mardigrasday.com/mardigras/food.php


If you won't get to New Orleans perhaps a trip to Galveston is in store?
http://www.mardigrasgalveston.com/

or Saint Louis
http://www.mardigrasinc.com/

Or Washington DC
http://dc.about.com/od/specialevents/a/MardiGras.htm

There are Carnival celebrations all over Europe too. This list incldes websites.
http://www.euro-info-tourisme.com/carnavals.en.europe.html

This site was easily translated into English
http://www.carnivalofvenice.com/

About.com offers several good pages on Carnival in Europe
http://goeurope.about.com/od/carnivals/Carnival_Celebrations_Europe_Festivals_Fasnacht_Carnevale.htm
http://gospain.about.com/od/spanishfestivals/tp/topcarnivalcity.htm


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