Mardi Gras in Louisiana: How This Whole Thing Even Started

In Louisiana, Mardi Gras isn’t just a day on the calendar. It’s a season. A mindset. A warning that traffic will be wild and someone will bring king cake to work.

But before the beads and parades, Mardi Gras had a pretty long journey to get here.

It all started in Europe, way back in medieval times. “Mardi Gras” is French for “Fat Tuesday,” which was the last chance to eat rich food and throw a party before Lent began. People wore masks, went a little overboard, and had fun while they could.

When French settlers came to Louisiana, they brought that tradition with them.

The first recorded Mardi Gras in Louisiana happened in 1699. French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville landed near present-day New Orleans right around Fat Tuesday and named the spot “Point du Mardi Gras.” That pretty much set the tone.

Early celebrations were nothing like today’s parades. Wealthy residents held fancy masked balls, while everyone else celebrated in the streets however they wanted. It was informal, sometimes chaotic, and very New Orleans.

When Spain took over Louisiana in the late 1700s, public Mardi Gras celebrations were banned. That didn’t mean people stopped celebrating — they just took the party indoors. Once Louisiana became part of the United States, Mardi Gras came back into public view, bigger than before.

The turning point came in 1857. That’s when the Mistick Krewe of Comus formed and introduced organized parades, themed floats, and nighttime spectacles. Other krewes followed, including Rex, which gave us the official Mardi Gras colors: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.

Of course, Mardi Gras isn’t just a New Orleans thing.

In Cajun country, Mardi Gras looks totally different. The Courir de Mardi Gras features masked riders traveling from house to house, dancing, singing, and asking for food. Everything they collect gets tossed into a giant communal gumbo at the end of the day. It’s loud, muddy, and very real.

Then there are the Mardi Gras Indians. These groups, rooted in African American history, create incredibly detailed, handmade suits inspired by Native American traditions. Their parades are about pride, artistry, and honoring the past — not just throwing beads.

Today, Mardi Gras in Louisiana is a mix of all of that history. Fancy and scrappy. Organized and chaotic.

And whether you celebrate for one day or the entire season, one thing’s for sure: Mardi Gras doesn’t just happen here. It lives here. 🎭💜💚💛