Mardi Gras

Pancakes—or at least early versions of them—have been a culinary staple for tens of thousands of years.

A Brief History of Pancakes

From ancient Greece to Shrove Tuesday celebrations, the sweet or savory flat cakes have long been a culinary staple

Big Chief Monk Boudreaux (center) leads his Mardi Gras Indian tribe, the Golden Eagles, on Super Sunday.

What You Should Know About the Mardi Gras Indians

For more than a century, New Orleans' Black residents have donned Native-inspired attire to celebrate Carnival

Paczki made by Chicago bakery Delightful Pastries

What Is Paczki Day?

The Fat Tuesday tradition centered around eating fried, filled Polish pastries is celebrated across the Midwest, but especially in Chicago

Mobile, Alabama is considered by many to be the birthplace of Mardi Gras.

The Best Mardi Gras Parades Beyond New Orleans

You may think of the “Big Easy” on Fat Tuesday, but other towns throughout Louisiana and the wider Gulf Coast play host to raucous celebrations

Riders on the Pine Apples float in the 1898 parade

Cool Finds

The Oldest Footage of New Orleans Has Been Found

Previously only rumored to exist, the two-minute film depicts a Mardi Gras parade from 1898

All over New Orleans, thousands of "house floats" were decorated in lieu of parade floats amid the paradeless 2021 Mardi Gras celebrations.

A Mardi Gras Like No Other Seeks to Bring New Orleans Together—From a Distance

The carnival season holds the possibility for renewal during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Facebook group "Krewe of House Floats" boasts 12,500 members and counting.

With Mardi Gras Parades Canceled, New Orleans Residents Are Turning Their Houses Into Floats

Louisiana locals have come up with a range of socially distanced alternatives to the city's traditional festivities

An Appreciation of <i>Küchle</i>, My Family’s Deep-Fried Dough Tradition for Fat Tuesday

Avoid a grease fire. Support a local bakery.

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American South

Peek Inside the Workshop Where Mardi Gras Floats Are Made

Mardi Gras World in New Orleans offers tours of its whimsical warehouse, where visitors can see floats being constructed all year round

It was during another experiment in his lab that Naohiro Kato realized that microalgae might be a good ingredient for bioplastic.

Made From Microalgae, These Mardi Gras Beads Are Biodegradable

Louisiana State University molecular biologist Naohiro Kato is confronting plastic pollution one necklace and doubloon at a time

Souvenir Dolls, New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Best Places to Celebrate Mardi Gras Outside of New Orleans

The Big Easy might get all the fame, but places from Alabama to the south of France also know how to party before Lent

Flame retardants and lead in Mardi Gras beads may pose a danger to people and the environment.

The Toxic Truth Behind Mardi Gras Beads

Every year, 25 million pounds of plastic beads made by Chinese factory workers get dumped on the streets of New Orleans

Fictitious Catalan figures known as "carnestoltes" dance in the street during the Carnival parade in Sitges, Spain.

Mad, Wonderful Photos From Mardi Gras and Carnival

From New Orleans to Panama to Spain, revelers celebrated Mardi Gras and the days leading up to it with costumes, color and craziness

Coffee with beignet's at Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans, LA.

American South

The History of the Chicory Coffee Mix That New Orleans Made Its Own

It started as a cost-saving workaround but stuck around for tradition's sake

Celebrate Carnival Italian Style, By Pelting Your Neighbors With Oranges

Carnival celebrations can get a little crazy, but in one Italian town, it gets downright messy

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What's Up

American Art, African Culture and Mardi Gras

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