Let The Mardi Gras Mayhem Continue by Art Gib

The Big Easy or New Orleans as it is commonly called is a Mecca for visitors that enjoy sipping on a mint julep and participating in the annual celebration of Mardi Gras that is held each February in the city. From the French meaning Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras falls before Ash Wednesday and marks the Carnival times that are celebrated between November and February. Among the cities that have become famous for the carnival season are Rio De Janeiro in Brazil, the port city of Sydney, in Australia and of course Americas New Orleans, in Louisiana.

Throughout the United States party goers make an annual migration to the city of New Orleans to participate in the carnival festivities that culminate with a parade of floats and exotic figures that wear brightly colored feathered masks to hide their true identity. Often painted up from head to toe with outrageous costumes and masks the parade attendees offer as much entertainment as the parade itself does. Associated with excess and debauchery Mardi Gras signifies the pagan holiday that comes before the Catholic belief in lent or fasting, where a person practices self denial, prayer and penance from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, usually lasting about forty days.

While the traditions of carnival celebrations and Mardi Gras lead up to the self-sacrifice of Lent the city of New Orleans has come to be known as Americas party playground. Even after the levees broke and New Orleans flooded with the arrival of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 the city was quick to reestablish itself as Americas Mardi Gras capital.

The hurricane, which has caused millions of dollars in damage to the Louisiana real estate market and in particular to New Orleans homes did not slow down the festivities of the city for long. Even years after the displaced families that were driven out of the city by the flooding, New Orleans has not been completely reclaimed, but the real estate market and revitalization efforts of the local government have led to economic growth within the community and Mardi Gras continued to be a seasonal tradition in the city the following year as New Orleans picked itself up and brushed itself off after the sixth largest hurricane on record swept through the city just months before.

New Orleans may not have healed completely after the tumultuous events and damage that was caused by the greatest natural disaster to hit the city, but the resilient people of New Orleans have bounced back and continue to bring to life the flavor and festivities that are associated with the carnival season.

Re/Max Loisiana (http://www.remax-louisiana.com/) provides buyers and sellers, is a Louisiana real estate. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

Article Source: ArticleSnatch Free Article Directory