Mardi Gras Parades are carnivals held at the time of Mardi Gras between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday. This period is marked by celebration, parades and feasting. Mardi Gras is a French term that literally translates into Fat Tuesday, a day when people eat delicious fatty foods before the commencement of the Lenten period during which time Christians observe 40 days of penitence. The parades are held during mid February.

The parades in New Orleans continue for two weeks. Each day of this fortnight sees more than one extravagant, colorful and joyous parade. In the closing days of the carnival, the number of parades that sets off every day increases. The parades are an occasion for family and friends to dress up bizarre, decorate parade trucks together and enjoy the fantastic carnival. Traditionally these parades are overwhelmingly drenched in purple that symbolizes justice, green that symbolizes faith and gold that symbolizes power. The official flag of Mardi Gras is made up of these colors.

People participating in the parades wear extensive masks and disguises. It's a carnival where each member of the community from the young to the aged is incorporated. Disguises range from animal and bird masks to modern inventions like body paint and superhero costumes. Parade disguises have evolved over the decades to reflect modern tastes and cultural trends. Mostly, they are members of Krewes, which are clubs that specialize in masking and parading onMardi Gras. Krewes take up fancy names from either mythology or Biblical sources.

On carnival weekend, school bands also participate in the parades. The larger parades are organized on St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street. The history of New Orleans Mardi Gras Parades started in the French Quarter where the early French settlers brought the carnival. The carnival tentatively dates back to 1699. The Mystick Krewe of Comus is the oldest Krewe that held its first parade in 1857.

As the merry making parades march on the streets, the revelers shower the bystanders with throws. Small and colorful plastic and metal beads on strings, small toys, richly decorated plastic cups and doubloons, which are coins embellished with Krewe logos, constitute the most common and traditional throws. Collecting throws is an important and fun ritual for the crowds. To add a twenty first century twist, many Krewes now produce their own signature beads and exclusive toys. Glass beads are also an added attraction.

It is amazing how an ancient Roman day of merriment has grown into elaborate international phenomena. From the mid second century, Romans celebratedLupercalia when they worshiped Lupercus, a pastoral deity. The first Christian Church in Rome decided to incorporate this pastoral ritual of the local people into mainstream Christian tradition. This culmination of the Christian calendar and Roman celebration marked the birth of the Mardi Gras Parades. Modern revelry during the parades is actually a rendition of the older Roman carnival of Saturnalia.

The parades are a time of enjoyment when common social laws are suspended. This parade embodies the vital safety valve for the society to express its instinctive desire to break rules and enjoy. For this fortnight, everyone is allowed to bend a few rules. However, the parades do not turn disorderly and free social licensing is granted within a certain lawful boundary.

For more information on Mardi Gras parades, visit http://paradeschedules.com