Mardi Gras is a famous celebration that originated from French Catholic traditions, marking the start of Lent. Known as "Fat Tuesday", Mardi Gras features feasts, parades, and festivities, most notably in New Orleans, Louisiana, where participants celebrate with beads, feathered masks, and colorful floats down Bourbon Street. The two biggest parades, Rex and Zulu, end at Canal Street and are accompanied by New Orleans jazz bands, zydeco music, and Cajun sounds. Traditional Louisiana foods like gumbo, jambalaya, and king cake are also part of Mardi Gras festivities.

1. Mardi Gras
Taylor Matherly

2. Mardi Gras
•
“Fat Tuesday”
•
Brought by French
Catholics to the US
•
Start of Lent Season
•
Day of feasts, parades
and celebration
•
Most famous celebration
in New Orleans,
Louisiana

3. Bourbon Street
•
http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH6JIjsdBzI

4. Parades2 biggest parades:
1) Rex and 2)Zulu
Both end on Canal St

5. Symbols
Beads
Feather masks
Colors (purple, yellow,
green) Floats

6. Music
•
http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz6FBAOsubg
(steel drums)
•
http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx10zWJAkzg
(jazz band)
•
http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vncNPfLRFo
(Zydeco music & dancing)
•
New Orleans Jazz Bands Zydeco
Cajun

7. Food
Gumbo Jambalaya
Hoppin’ John Shrimp and grits

8. King Cake