From a medieval holiday to a worldwide festival, Mardi Gras has become a day of rich colors, fun, and festivities. If you want to go gaga and wear masks and elaborate costumes, Mardi Gras is probably the event you need. New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro are the two biggest hosts that celebrate Mardi Gras, which helps boost local tourism.

Mardi Gras is also an exciting event with fanfares, beers, and street parties. But there is a lot more about Mardi Gras. It transcends time, and just like its rich colors, this event is crusted with history and exciting evolution.

Explore this article and discover one of the world’s most celebrated events and how you can bring home the celebrations with your very own Mardi Gras neon sign.

Origin of Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras are French words which translate as Fat Tuesday. In preparation for Lent, people in medieval times binged on rich fatty foods before beginning to fast until Easter. It became a celebration in 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII added it to the Gregorian calendar. It was later brought to North America in the late 17th century.

Then in the 1730s, Mardi Gras was publicly commemorated in New Orleans. It was a very different celebration then because it did not have the marches and bands incorporated today. The early 1740s added the extravagance to the event.

To honor Mardi Gras, New Orleans hosted downtown parades of maskers with chariots and horse riders by the late 1830s. New Orleans added an entertaining air of romance and festivity to the event.

Interesting Facts About Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is more than an event. Since many people around the globe travel to celebrate this event in New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, and other cities, there are rules that have been developed over time.

So when you go to cities that celebrate Mardi Gras, remember these things:

• Always greet people around you with “laissez les bon temps rouler.” Mardi Gras is French, and so is the official greeting. It is hard if you are not into French words, so here is a guide that you can practice: LAY-SAY LE BON TOM ROO-LAY. It means “let the good times roll.”
• Each float is managed by a Krewe. To get into the parade with a magnificent and extravagant float, a group of people typically belonging to a company or organization must submit an application to the organizers, the Krewes, unless they are invited to participate.
• Not wearing a mask on a float is illegal. Mardi Gras can get a little serious about masks because not wearing one is deemed illegal by law. You read it right! The penalty depends on the city you are in. So don’t forget to wear a mask or paint your face if you ride on a float.
• Each float has a system of royalty. You may observe that each float has a division according to class. The Krewes on the float are typically organized into a Krewe leader, the king or queen, then the maids, dukes, and the rest of the members.

5 Things to Be Excited About When Celebrating Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras will never bore you because of its elaborate and creative elements infused with parties and parades. Here are the things that will excite you when celebrating Mardi Gras:

Rich Colors

Purple, green, and gold are the primary colors seen during Mardi Gras. Many ornaments, along with the infamous beads thrown into the audience, encompass these colors. According to legend, these shades are intended to represent particular features. The green color represents faith, purple represents justice, and gold denotes power. 

Bead Throws

While the colors have a long history in Mardi Gras, beads are relatively new to the celebration. They did not catch on until the 1920s when a parade tossed extremely cheap hand-crafted glass necklaces into the crowd.

When the parade kicks off and you see the floats coming in, don’t forget to shout out throw me something, mister! Be ready because a Krewe will throw you beads or other treats.

Masks and Costumes

One of the most interesting things when celebrating Mardi Gras is that it is forbidden to ride on a float without a mask. The masks’ main role is to avoid or remove social constraints from society, even just for a day. It also allows various classes and groups to enjoy themselves freely all throughout the celebrations.

King Cakes

The King Cake is perhaps the most popular of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras traditions. King cakes can be found lining the facades of local supermarkets between Twelfth Night and Fat Tuesday.

A New Orleans King Cake is historically an oval-shaped, coffee-flavored cake encrusted in Mardi Gras-themed decorations that include purple, green, and gold colors. Every King Cake is accompanied by a tiny plastic baby. According to the cake’s tradition, whoever cuts the piece of cake with the baby in it is the supreme ruler for the day—and must also buy the next King Cake.

Massive Floats

The parade float has been the heart of the Mardi Gras feast. The modern-day Mardi Gras floats are enormous, with extravagant decorations such as bigger papier-mache artworks, ornate hand-painted bouquets, and flashing LED lights.

These floats, however, were not always this sophisticated. In the mid-1800s, the first floats popped up as painted horse-drawn chariots and wagons. These chariots were associated with young men carrying lamps to light the path.

Get Your Customized Mardi Gras Neon Light Sign From Neonize!

If you want the best neon signs, Neonize will not let you down! Our website has a plethora of designs perfect for different occasions and aesthetic purposes. Whatever design you want, Neonize has it.

As in everything? Yes, everything! Another good thing about Neonize is that you can send us the design you want and we will have it made. You can even customize the color and size to better suit your vision.

One of the best examples of an attractive and customized Mardi Gras decoration is a bud light Mardi Gras neon sign. Just visit our website and select the Customize menu. From there, you can upload the layout or image of your customized design. You can also create the text you want for your neon sign.

Life is Always a Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is truly an event worth celebrating. It is a day where you can forget about the negative things that happen to the world or even in your personal life. There are so many ways you can do to celebrate Mardi Gras. You can wear opulent and elaborate costumes, drink beer all day long, and participate in parties and parades.

Aside from the wonderful traditions and colorful decorations that we see at every Mardi Gras, some establishments, such as restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and even households, put up Mardi Gras neon signs on their walls. These neon signs are an indication that they are included in the special event even when they are not in the parade.

Don’t forget to hang a mardi gras neon sign on your wall or outside your house. Neonize is here to customize for all your needs. Explore our website for more blogs and neon signs.