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Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" and is always 47 days before Easter Sunday. This year it falls on February 5, marking the end of a long series of parades, parties and other events. Traditionally, it is the last day for Catholics to celebrate and indulge—often overindulge—before Ash Wednesday starts the sober weeks of fasting that come with Lent.
Purple, green and gold are the colors of Mardi Gras, and you can see them in the cinnamon-filled, sugar-glazed King Cake. A plastic baby is baked inside the King Cake, and whoever receives the baby in their piece of cake must buy the next King Cake or throw the next party. King Cake is the preferred dessert and snack during Mardi Gras.
Most people think of the festive Mardi Gras parades, and a key event there is the throwing of the beads. Bright strings of beads are thrown from the parade floats, as souvenirs for the parade-goers. Mardi Gras is headquartered in New Orleans, but many southern cities put on parades and parties. Galveston, TX, Mobile, AL and other cities send out the welcome mat too, so if you're ready to travel this February, think about visiting a Mardi Gras event!
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