
Best friend and ME-wigs, masks, beads-FAT TUESDAY!
My OCD-self finally let go this year and said goodbye to school and work for a week as I jet-setted to New Orleans for the festivities of Mardi Gras. It had been a few years since my cajun-self had been to the grand carnival, but I chose the perfect year to return.
I brought seven of my closest friends this time around and we watched the parades from the heart of the city on St. Charles Ave. with the craziest of people and most outrageous costumes.
The Saints’ super bowl win caused an influx of people this year. A friend who rides in one of the parades said he had not seen the crowd this large in all 15 years he’s been in the Krewe of Bacchus, one of the most-attended parades of the week. You could tell that the Saints had lifted the spirits of not only the people involved in the parades, but the onlookers who came from around the country, as the WHO DAT song played every 20 minutes from restaurants, cars and floats.

A highlight of the trip was obviously seeing Drew Brees as King of Bacchus, and the next night was Reggie Bush, King of Orpheus, with Coach Sean Payton by his side-the Super Bowl Trophy held up by players and friends in the float. They were all signing things and throwing them off of their floats (my roommate caught a football signed by Reggie)! It’s an understatement to say the people went wild (myself included). The ecstatic feeling was not as much the star-struckness of it all, more of the happiness for everyone and the excitement of a returning of a state.

Ball signed by Reggie Bush-caught from a float
It may not sound so exciting to say that you spent your days in huge crowds of people, drinking and catching beads, but there was so much more to it. Seeing what all goes into the parades is unbelievable- learning about the histories of them, the societies that the people belong to in the city, watching enormous floats that are intricately decorated, trading the paraphernalia that you catch from the floats-it’s more than a parade, it’s the world’s happiest carnival for babies, teens and adults alike. And the food cannot be forgotten of course-the almighty KING CAKE!!! This is the best pastry that ever happened to me.

Decorations made out of beads
FLOAT

Bead and trash galore!
Families start their tailgating around nine in the morning and sit their kids up on ladders to catch beads as they eat and drink and socialize with friends and strangers. Crock pots of jambalaya, chile and gumbo, muffulettas, booze and king cakes – traditional southern food for a traditionally southern day.
I can’t possibly describe the enjoyment of Mardi Gras, but I would encourage all to engage in the experience at least once in your life- whether you like to party or not.
To read about the different colors of Mardi Gras, the beads, the doubloons, the floats, the history, King Cakes and more visit http://www.mardigrasday.com/mardigrasinfo.php it’s a good procrastination site!