History of Mardi Gras

Did you know the first Mardi Gras was not celebrated in New Orleans? The first actual carnival was celebrated in Mobile, Alabama in the 1700s. This celebration consisted of groups of select people going through the streets celebrating a specific event. These people were called the "Krewes", hence Krewe de Vieux, Krewe Delusion, Krewe of Cork, etc. Each Krewe had a specific King or Queen that went first through the parade and served as a symbol of the parade. The parades usually consisted of floats that would go through the streets. Moreover, "Krewe members get the honor of riding the floats, and they will toss beads, doubloons and trinkets to the crowd over the course of the route. The trinkets usually bear the Krewe’s emblem along with the theme and date." Soon, however, this carnival moved to New Orleans and has been celebrated here since. You can read more about it here

Typical Mardi Gras Float