1. JANUARY 2015 ALASKA AIRLINES MAGAZINE 19
Elaborate masks
are one of
Mardi Gras’
most famous
traditions.
SAN MARINO, CA
Openings at The Huntington
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and
Botanical Gardens has been a hub of culture
and education on the West Coast since its
public opening in 1928. On January 14, the
front portion of a new education and visitors
center will open; eventually,
the center will be nestled
within 6.5 acres of new
gardens. The project is slated
to be fully finished this April.
Once complete, the visitors
center will feature a 400-seat
auditorium, meeting and event spaces, a cafe
with garden views and an indoor courtyard
with a 36-foot-tall glass dome.
Upcoming attractions at The Huntington
include “The U.S. Constitution and the End of
American Slavery” (January 24–April 20). This
exhibition’s opening marks the 150th anniver-
sary of the ratification of the 13th Amendment,
which abolished slavery. The exhibit features
rare documents, including letters by Abraham
Lincoln. To learn more, call 626-405-2100 or
visit huntington.org. —Tanya Friedland
New indoor and
outdoor spaces at
The Huntington,
shown in the
rendering, will
open this year.
NEW ORLEANS, LA
A Spectacular Festival
Ever since explorer Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de
Bienville first arrived in what was to become Louisi-
ana, on the eve of Mardi Gras in 1699, the history of
New Orleans has been closely tied to the holiday.
Traditionally celebrated as a final day of merriment
before Catholic Lent, Mardi Gras in New Orleans
offers fun and spectacle for people of all ages.
This year, parades will begin on February 6. Other
main attractions will start on February 12 and
continue through “Fat Tuesday”
itself, February 17. Highlights
include eating King Cakes
(sugared pastries with dolls
inside), catching “throws” such
as beads thrown from parade
floats, and seeing the Krewe of
Rex (“The King of Carnival”)
parade as it proceeds along St.
Charles Avenue on the last day of the festival. Visit
neworleansonline.com/neworleans/mardigras for
more information. —Tanya Friedland
Feb. 12–15; fireworks, live music
and parades on the oceanfront; Mazatlán, Mexico;
mazatlantoday.net and carnavalmazatlan.net.
ALSO OF NOTE …
THIS JANUARY is the Bicentennial of the
Battle of New Orleans, which ended the War of 1812.
For event information, visit battleofneworleans2015.com.
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