NEW ORLEANS EVENTS - Do Not Miss At Mardi Gras...

Ten Things Not To Miss At Mardi Gras
It would be hard to miss Mardi Gras. But there is more to Mardi Gras than meets the eye. Some of the traditions go back to the early 1800s. Others are recent additions to carnival. But many customs may go unnoticed or unexplained as some of the grander spectacles soak up visitors' attentions.

Here are some of the facets of Mardi Gras that you don't want to miss.

1. Masking. Costuming is a big part of Mardi Gras day in the French Quarter. It's something everyone can do to add to the party. Some people hide only their faces behind simple feather masks while others show everything off. There is no end to the variations in-between, from lavish period costumes to drag queen extravaganzas. There are a couple of costume contests as well. Be sure to check out the costumes in the heart of the French Quarter on Fat Tuesday.

2. King Connection. Traditionally, the king of Rex arrived by boat on Lundi Gras, or Fat Monday, to meet revelers. The tradition has been revived and the king lands at the Riverfront near the French Quarter at 6pm. The Riverwalk Marketplace hosts the landing at Spanish Plaza where the mayor symbolically turns the city over to the king of Rex for the duration of Mardi Gras.
When Zulu was founded early in the 20th century, its king lampooned the king of Rex by carrying a banana stalk scepter, a crown made from a lard can and arrived by barge along a canal. As time passed, that has changed. Zulu's king also arrives at the Riverfront on Lundi Gras and the Zulus celebrate publicly in Woldenberg Park on the afternoon before Fat Tuesday. The meeting of the two kings is now customary and widely celebrated.

3. Mardi Gras Indians. Completely unique to New Orleans, the Mardi Gras Indians debut their new feathers on Fat Tuesday. Each tribe is grounded in a particular neighborhood. It's an African-American tradition that recalls a kinship between escaped slaves who sought refuge with Louisiana's native Americans. How exactly the tradition developed and who deserves credit are matters of great debate. But you don't need a final answer to appreciate the feathers.
Big chiefs of the most active tribes spend an entire year sewing new beaded and feathered costumes for each coming Mardi Gras. Where each chief comes out is a secret but they congregate by the end of the afternoon on Fat Tuesday to compare feathers and strut their stuff. Many of the downtown Indians go to Hunter's Field near Claiborne Avenue and Elysian Fields. Many of the uptown Indians go to Shakespeare Park at Washington Avenue and Freret Street.

4. King Cake. The Mardi Gras season begins in January as soon as Christmas ends. In the months leading up to Fat Tuesday, New Orleanians get ready for carnival by sharing "king cakes." The cakes are typically large rings sugar-coated in purple, green and gold. They may be plain or filled with cream cheese or fruit or but they always have a tiny plastic baby inside. Whoever draws the piece with the baby provides the king cake for the next party. The babies used to be made of porcelain but are now made of plastic. The local tradition goes back to 1870 when the Twelfth Night Revelers offered cake to young, unmarried women at one of their parties. The lucky one to find a golden bean was crowned queen of the krewe.
Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery - www.kingcakes.com/
3501 Pontchartrain Dr., Slidell, 800.684.CAKE
Visit the creator of the mini king cake, complete with a plastic baby, for this year's Mardi Gras treat! Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery offers a number of delicious fillings and shipping to different locations around the country.

5. The Balls. Traditionally the parades led up to the balls. Krewes followed their kings, queens and royal courts on the way to the balls and along the way threw trinkets to the people who came to watch. At the balls, elaborate tableaus of the court were presented to the krewe. The balls were generally invitation only. The traditions have changed and there are also new kinds of balls. The newest of the superkrewes, the Krewe of Orpheus, invites the general public to its ball.

6. The Gay Balls. Several gay krewes have their own lavish traditions. Founded in the early '60s, the Krewe of Petronius has one of the most elaborately costumed and presented balls. For years the gay balls were highly secretive to avoid harrassment. But times have changed. The Petronious ball is open to the public.

7. Walking Krewes. Many groups of New Orleanians have banned together to create their own small krewes. And some have their own walking parades. The Jefferson City Buzzards have marched since 1890. Jazz legend Pete Fountain formed his own group, the Half Fast Walking Club in 1961. On Mardi Gras day, Fountain and his clarinet lead the club as they march from Uptown New Orleans to the French Quarter.
Both official and informal krewes march in costume in the French Quarter on Fat Tuesday. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Mondo Kayo Social and Marching Club or the Society of Saint Ann, which favors period costumes from 17th century Europe. In the early afternoon they march across Royal Street to Canal Street where they salute the king of Rex as the Rex parade arrives downtown.

8. No Return Policy. Everyone wants to catch beads at Mardi Gras. They rain down from all directions. But it is generally considered bad karma to throw beads back at floats or krewe members. Iit is also particularly unwise to do so in front of a New Orleans Police Officer. There are, of course, a handful of exceptions. Landing beads in the mouths of the riderless King Kong floats in the Bacchus parade is considered good luck. The two riderless floats include King Kong and Queen Kon.

9. Besides the Beads. The most common "throws" to catch are beads. But there are other valued throws as well. Most krewes mint "doubloons" commemorating the year and parade theme. Parades with celebrity kings often imprint the doubloons with that person's likeness. Many New Orleanians collect doubloons from all the parades. Cups also commemorate each parade theme. But the most prized catch in all of Mardi Gras is the Zulu coconut, though they are not tossed. Coconuts are individually handed to recipients. The outrageously decorated coconuts are said to bring luck for the coming year.

10. Courir Du Mardi Gras. In Southwestern Louisiana, the Acadians, or Cajuns, have their own Mardi Gras traditions. On Mardi Gras day the young men of a town don clown-like costumes and masks and ride horses from home to home. At each stop they request tribute to throw in a gumbo to feed everyone at the end of the day. If someone offers something like a live chicken then the men are obliged to catch it themselves. It's no easy task given that toasts and libations are another big part of the day's journey.