General
What does Mardi Gras translate to in English?
Fat Tuesday
What country originally colonized Louisiana and brought Mardi Gras to the area?
France
What Religion is Mardi Gras associated with?
Christianity
What food is widely associated with Mardi Gras?
King Cake
What are the three colors associated with Mardi Gras
Purple, Green, and Gold
What year was the first Mardi Gras Celebration in Louisiana?
a. 1499
b. 1521
c. 1601
d. 1699
d. 1699
What is the day after Mardi Gras called?
Ash Wednesday
What is hidden inside a King Cake?
A Baby
What do people most commonly throw from the parade floats during the New Orleans Mardi Gras Parade?
Plastic Beads (people also throw doubloons, cups, toys or handmade trinkets)
What year was the first Mardi Gras Parade held in New Orleans
a. 1492
b. 1763
c. 1838
d. 1945
c. 1838
How does Mardi Gras related to Lent?
Mardi Gras is a celebration designed to use up rich, fatty foods before people begin fasting for Lent
Who does the baby in the King Cake represent?
Jesus
In which state is Mardi Gras not a legal holiday
a. Alabama
b. Texas
c. Louisiana
d. Florida
b. Texas
The New Orleans Mardi Gras parades have only been cancelled 13 times. What year were the parades most recently cancelled? (bonus points if you can guess the year of the second most recent parade cancellation)
2021 (the second most recent was 1945.)
Aspects of Mardi Gras can be traced back to the pre-christian celebrations of Saturnalia and Lupercalia. What group of people celebrated these festivals?
The Ancient Romans
What does it mean if you get the baby in your piece of King Cake?
You have to bake the cake next year (or sometimes that you have to host the party next year)
In 2013, New Orleans was forced to move the location of the Mardi Gras Parade so it wouldn't interfere with what other big event?
The Super Bowl
What state is the Oldest Official Mardi Gras Celebration in the US? (Hint it isn't Louisiana)
Alabama
In England the Tuesday before lent is called Shrove Tuesday. It is called this because people would go to church that day and do what?
confess their wrongdoings
What food is commonly associated with Shrove Tuesday in England (and parts of America?)
Pancakes! Some people even call it Pancake Tuesday instead of Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday