What is Mardi Gras?   That's easy, "The Greatest Free Show on Earth!" Mardi Gras starts each year on January 6th, otherwise known as King's Day or Twelfth Night. Mardi Gras day, or Fat Tuesday, is the day before Ash Wednesday. Celebrations are mainly concentrated in the last two weeks of the carnival season where the largest and most elaborate parades occur on the last five days. The krewes, pronounced “crews”, parade down the streets of New Orleans and surrounding area. Several walking parades also occur in the New Orleans French Quarter. The Mardi Gras Indian tribes are out in their elaborate suits, a sight to be seen!

Why is it called Fat Tuesday? Heck I don't know but eating all that King Cake starting on January 6th makes me fat! What is King Cake, you ask?!? As I read in a Southern Living article, “in two words – sensory overload.”. King cake is topped with glaze and Purple, Green, and Gold sprinkles – the royal colors of Mardi Gras!

Check out my Mardi Gras photo galleries below!