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Celebration, Crazy, Festive, Fun, Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez, Mardi Gras, mobile alabama, Polish Picks, What to Wear to Mardi Gras
Of course as many of you know, tomorrow is Fat Tuesday! What are you doing to celebrate? If you don’t live locally, you probably have to go to work or class like the rest of the world. (BOO!) But.. if you live and work in Mobile or Baldwin County, you are most likely off work and are celebrating the boom boom with all of the crazy Mardi Gras goers!
Many of you readers may not be familiar with what Mardi Gras is. That’s ok.. we aren’t sure we know either, so we’ll do a little google for ya!
Here’s all of the mumbo jumbo –
As a major holiday in parts of Europe and South America, the celebration dates back to 1703 when the tiny French colony of Mobile observed North America’s first Mardi Gras. The Cowbellion de Rakin society took loudly to the streets in 1830 armed with rakes, hoes and cowbells plundered from a hardware store, and no doubt later kept the feast with whatever food and drink they had. Although they marched on New Year’s Eve and not Fat Tuesday, they were a true antecedent of Mardi Gras in Mobile and the first mystic societies, which were later formed in the 1830s. Later, in 1857, the Mobile members of the Cowbellian de Rakin Society traveled to New Orleans and assisted with the formation of the Mystic Krewe of Comus, to this day New Orleans’ most prestigious Mardi Gras society. From these early roots grew the wonderful Mardi Gras celebrations found today in the Port City.
The stress of the Civil War brought an end to the annual festivities in Mobile. After the war and under Union occupation, the city was disillusioned and discouraged. On the afternoon of Fat Tuesday in 1866, Joseph Stillwell Cain set out to raise the spirits of Mobile. He donned Chickasaw Indian regalia, called himself “Chief Slacabormorinico,” climbed aboard a decorated coal wagon pulled by a mule and held a one-float parade through the streets of Mobile. Mardi Gras with all its frivolity was reborn!
Cain founded many of the mystic societies and built a tradition of Mardi Gras parades, which continues today. In fact, he is remembered each year on Joe Cain Day, which is the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. Known as “the people’s day,” Mardi Gras revelers decorate anything they can push, pull, or drag for the Joe Cain Procession and parade, which is as much fun to watch as it is to ride. Cain himself participated in each year’s festivity until he died at age 72. – http://www.mobile.org
So there you have it — the history of Mardi Gras! While that’s all very interesting, we rather focus on the fashion! What will you be wearing to the parades? The weather forecast looks decent. The high will be in the 60’s and the weather is mostly Sunny with a possible chance of rain on Fat Tuesday. So, dress accordingly! If you want to get really festive you can wear the colors of Mardi Gras! The traditional Mardi Gras colors are Gold, Purple and Green! Here are some cute and cavalier clothing that we think you should be sporting for tonight’s parades and tomorrows festivities
Cute, comfy and still very cute! OF course any of these will go great with all of the Mardi Gras beads you’ll be catching because you’re so beautiful!
Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!