Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras refers to the events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is know as Shrove Tuesday. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”, reflecting the practice of the last night of eating rich, fatty foods before the ritual Lenten sacrifices and fasting of the Lenten season. The festival season varies from city to city, the popular one in New Orleans considers Mardi Gras to run from Twelfth Night to Ash Wednesday. Others treat the three days before Ash Wednesday to be Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras nearly always involves the use of masks and costumes by its participants and the most popular celebratory colours are purple, green and gold.