Facts about Mardi Gras
- 07
Mardi Gras Indian gangs in New Orleans spend up to $3,000 per person annually on elaborate feathered costumes called suits that take months to hand-sew before parade season.
- 06
During the 1718 French founding of New Orleans, colonists adopted pre-Lenten celebrations from French and Spanish traditions, establishing Mardi Gras as the city's oldest continuous festival.
- 05
King Cake, a traditional oval pastry eaten during Mardi Gras season, contains a hidden plastic baby figurine that designates the finder as the next party host.
- 04
Purple, green, and gold became Mardi Gras colors in 1872 when the Krewe of Rex chose them to represent justice, faith, and power respectively.
- 03
Approximately 700 tons of trash accumulate in New Orleans streets during the five-day Mardi Gras celebration, requiring intensive cleanup efforts by sanitation workers.
- 02
Over 1.4 million pounds of beads are thrown during New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations annually, with most coming from krewe members riding on parade floats.
- 01
The krewe of Rex has thrown Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans every year since 1872, making it one of the oldest continuously operating carnival organizations.