Real Louisiana Girls Debunk Mardi Gras Myths
Mardi Gras, a.k.a. Fat Tuesday, is a time for celebrating and enjoying life with bookoo (a lot of) beads, music, and dancing.
It’s the time of year when everyone is eating king cake, and if they’re lucky, getting their hands on the baby inside for good luck. Traveling all throughout the south for biggest and best parades, you end up with hangovers, soreness from all the walking, and tons of trinkets — painted coconuts designed by members of Zulu, stuffed animals, toys, and so much more.
Being born and bred in the south, we’ve heard our fair share of crazy false accusations surrounding our beloved holiday that come from outsiders. So as native Louisiana girls, Esther Faciane and I came to write off the myths surrounding the livest time of the year.
1. We Don’t Actually Show Our Boobs For Beads
No matter how many times you see it on your television screen, there’s a slim chance to none that you would really see someone pulling up their shirt and shaking their boobs for some beads.
If you even dare to show off your goods to get the goods, you going to have some pissed off parents to deal with. All it takes is a lot screaming and waving your hands high in the air to get your hands on some beads. Unless you come across some really drunk woman on Bourbon Street, who’s unaware of her surroundings, you probably won’t witness many sloppy revealings. So, if you’re hoping to go Mardi Gras to get your first sighting of “throw me something mister!” and the following boob flash, you’ll be disappointed.
photo by Esther Faciane
2. It’s Not All About Partying and Getting Drunk
Mardi Gras is the time when people from all over come to celebrate the culture. It’s a family affair. You’ll see many parents holding their children on their shoulders and people setting up cookouts. It’s another holiday that brings loved ones together to have fun, dance, and cheer.
Sorry to disappoint, but Mardi Gras doesn’t happen just on Bourbon, where most of the boozefest happens. In fact, there’s not even a parade route on the widely known street. Once you go deeper into the city of New Orleans, you’ll discover the real Carnival experience that is full of Krewes (Zulu, Rex, and Orpheus), “Indians,” bands, and majorettes. It goes beyond the false perception that it’s one big frat party.
3. It’s More Than a One-Day Celebration
Mardi Gras isn’t just one day, it’s a whole season.
Starting on January 6th, which is King’s Day, we break out the king cakes and Mardi Gras season officially begins. However, the date of the actual holiday varies throughout the years because it is 47 days before Easter. Parades and Mardi Gras balls happen every weekend from the start of Mardi Gras to its end on Fat Tuesday.
The preparation for Mardi Gras is year round, from Mardi Gras balls, to Indians and painting floats, it never stops because everything must be perfect.
4. Mardi Gras Isn’t Only In New Orleans
Mardi Gras isn’t just in New Orleans. It is celebrated all throughout the south — everywhere from southern Alabama to Texas.
It actually started in Mobile, Alabama. Even though the holiday started in Alabama, southern Louisiana is where all the magic happens — not to sound biased or anything.
Each city in the south celebrates Mardi Gras a little bit different, incorporating their own traditions and costumes. But no matter where you are celebrating Mardi Gras in the south we know how to laissez les bon temps rouler (let the good times roll)!
