What Does Mardi Gras Colors Mean

Mardi gras ˈ m ɑːr d i ˌ ɡ r ɑː or fat tuesday refers to events of the carnival celebration beginning on or after the christian feasts of the epiphany three kings day and culminating on the day before ash wednesday which is known as shrove tuesday.

What does mardi gras colors mean. Mardi gras is a day rich with symbolism and tradition and probably no city on earth has contributed more to the tradition of mardi gras than new orleans louisiana. Yes they re purple green and gold. The three colors have a much more practical origin too. The mardi gras celebrations in new orleans set the standards for food music and decoration with each element down to the signature colors of purple green and gold steeped in.

The starting date of festivities in new orleans is unknown but an account from 1743 notes that the custom of carnival balls was already established by that date. Mardi gras is french for fat tuesday reflecting the practice of the last night of eating rich fatty foods before the ritual. Purple green and gold became the recognized colors of the new orleans mardi gras celebration thanks to a visit to new orleans by the grand duke alexis romanov of russia. And in 1892 the rex parade theme symbolism of colors gave meaning to these colors.

Mardi gras was brought to louisiana by early french settlers. The colors traditionally associated with mardi gras in new orleans are green gold and purple the colors were first specified in proclamations by the rex organization during the lead up to their inaugural parade in 1872 suggesting that balconies be draped in banners of these colors. The colors have stuck around ever since and can be found pretty much everywhere come mardi gras but what does each color mean. Let s break it down.

Apparently most of new orleans is wrong about the origin of mardi gras colors.