Many cities around the world have well-known Carnival

celebrations. These cities include Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;

Barranquilla, Colombia; Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago;
Quebec City, Canada; and Mazatlan, Mexico. One of the
most famous Carnival celebrations takes place in New
Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States.

As in the other cities, the New Orleans Carnival season

starts on January 6 and ends on Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday
in English) the day before Ash Wednesday. During the
Carnival season there are numerous parades and balls.
However, most celebrations take place over the two-week
period just before Mardi Gras.

Krewes
In New Orleans the parades and costume balls are organized by
Carnival krewes. During parades krewe float riders toss throws to
the crowds of onlookers. The most common throws are strings of
colourful plastic beads, doubloons (coins with the krewe logo),
plastic cups, and small toys. A few of the krewes that parade
during the final few days before Mardi Gras are:
Thursday The all-female Krewe Muses (whose very popular
throws include decorated shoes and other trinkets)
Friday Krewe of Hermes, Krewe D’État and the Krewe of
Morpheus
Saturday Krewe de Vieux, Krewe of Tucks, Endymion
Sunday Krewe of Bacchus (with a different celebrity Mardi Gras Day
monarch each year) Mardi Gras Day can fall on
any Tuesday between
February 3 and March 9
Lundi Gras depending on the date of
The Monday before Mardi Easter. The Zulu Krewe,
Gras is known as Lundi Gras which is made up mostly of
(“Fat Monday”). On this day African Americans,
the monarchs of the Krewe of parades first. They hand
Zulu and the Krewe of Rex out one of the most popular
arrive by boat on the throws, the painted Zulu
Mississippi Riverfront where Coconut also called the
an all day party takes place. Golden Nugget or the
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followed by the Krewe of

Mardi Gras Colours
The official colours for Mardi
Gras are purple, green, and gold.
These colors were chosen in 1872
by the King of Carnival, Rex. He
chose these colors to stand for
the following:
 purple represents justice
 green stands for faith
 gold stands for power
End of Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras ends with “Meeting of
the Courts”. This is the ceremony
at which Rex and His Royal
Consort, the King and Queen of
carnival, meet with Comus and his
Queen at the ball of the Mistick
Krewe of Comus. The Meeting of
the Courts happens after the two
groups’ masked balls. At midnight
on Mardi Gras day, the New
Orleans mounted police announce
the end of Mardi Gras and clear

Krewe of Rex Parade

Krewe of Zulu Parade

King Cakes
As part of the celebration of Mardi Gras, it
is traditional to bake an oval cinnamon cake.
This cake- the King Cake- is to honour the
three kings who took gifts for the baby
Jesus. The shape of a King Cake symbolizes
Costumes and Masks
the unity of faiths. Each cake is decorated in
On the days before Mardi Gras
the traditional Mardi Gras colours. A small
costumes and masks are usually
plastic baby, symbolizing the baby Jesus, is
only worn by Krewe members.
baked into each cake. It is believed that the
However, on Mardi Gras many
person who finds the baby in their slice will
non-Krewe members also wear
have good luck. In addition, that person is
costumes and masks.
responsible for providing the King Cake the
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 TRUE OR FALSE

Read the information about Mardi Gras. Then read the statements below and write ‘T’ if the
statement is true or ‘F’ if the statement is false. If the statement is false, correct it.

1. Mardi Gras is at the same time every year.

2. Parades and costume balls are organized by social clubs known as krewes.

3. The Krewe of Muses is made up of children.

4. Throws are trinkets given to people watching the parades.

5. A most common throws are beads and plastic cups.

6. A doubloon is a type of costume.

7. Many people in New Orleans wear masks and costumes on Mardi Gras.

8. The traditional colours of Mardi Gras were chosen by the mayor of New Orleans.

9. The Mardi Gras colours represent justice, faith and freedom.

10. It is very unlucky to get the slice of King Cake with the baby.

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Answer Key

1. F (it changes depending on when Easter falls.)

2. T
3. F (it is made up of women)
4. T
5. T
6. F (It is a souvenir coin)
7. T
8. F ( they were chosen by the King of Carnival in 1872)
9. F (they represent justice, faith and power)
10. F (it is considered lucky)

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