Show:
Colors
King Cake
The season
Traditions
other
100
Purple, Green, gold
What are the traditional colors of Mardi Gras?
100
the color of the sprinkles found on the top of the cake
What is purple, green and gold? Usually oval in shape, the King Cake is a bakery delicacy made from a rich Danish dough (which is a sweetened yeast bread...a cross between a coffee cake and a French pastry) and covered with a poured sugar topping decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras-colored sugars of purple (symbolizing Justice), green (symbolizing Faith) and gold (symbolizing Power). This colorful topping is representative of a jeweled crown in honor of the Three Wise Men who visited the Christ Child on Epiphany
100
Mardi Gras is french for
What is Fat Tuesday
100
The words used to get beads and other trinkets during the festival?
What is "Throw me something mister"?
100
Mardi Gras is known as this in the Christian calendar
What is Shrove Tuesday
200
represents justice
What is purple
200
the shape of the kings cake symbolizes?
What is unity of faith Today, the cakes are baked in many shapes but originally, they were round to portray the circular route take by the Magi in order to confuse King Herod, whose army was attempting to follow the Wise Men so that the Christ Child could be killed. The origin of the modern King Cake can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when popular devotion during Christmas turned to the Three Wise Men
200
January 6
When does the mardi gras season begin?
200
Mobile, Alabama
Where was the first Mardi Gras ? A common misconception - Mardi Gras in America was actually begun in Mobile, Alabama in 1703, a year after its {founding;} in 1857, members of a Mobilian mystic society brought Mardi Gras to New Orleans.
200
When was the first documented New Orleans Parade?
What is 1837?
300
stands for faith
What is green
300
the suprise that is baked inside the cake
What is a small baby? The King Cake tradition is believed to have begun with French settlers around 1870, who were themselves continuing a custom which dated back to Twelfth Century France, when a similar cake was used to celebrate the coming of the Magi twelve days after Christmas bearing gifts for the Christ Child. This celebration was also once known as King's Day. As a symbol of this Holy Day, a tiny plastic baby (symbolic of the baby Jesus) is placed inside each King Cake but in times gone past, the hidden items were usually coins, beans, pecans or peas.
300
How many days is Mardi Gras celebrated before Easter
What is 47 days?
300
The coins that are decorated with krewes logos and thrown during the parade.
What is a Doubloon? In 1884, the Krewe of Rex threw the first medallions (silver-dollar-sized commemorative coins later called doubloons) instead of the customary trinkets. Today's doubloons are usually aluminum and anodized in a variety of colors, depicting the parade theme on one side and the emblem of the particular Krewe on the other. Many of these doubloons later become collectors' items. Early medallions were much heavier than those minted today and were usually awarded only as ball favors
300
THis night is known as the night the Three Wise Men reached Bethlehem, The night of the first Mardi Gras ball and also The first night of Carnival
What is the Twelfth Night?
400
stands for power
What is gold
400
if you find the surprise in your slice of cake it means you will have ______________ and be incharge of bring the kings cake to the next gathering.
What is good luck?
400
In 2000, Mardi Gras has averaged this amount added to their economy each year
What is a billion dollars?
400
this man was the first to throw trinkets during the parade
Who is Santa Claus? The custom of throwing trinkets from floats and from the balconies of the city is one of the older traditions in New Orleans and began one year when the parade featured Santa Klaus aboard a float, dispensing small trinkets to the watching children. Other popular throws include long strings of pearlized beads and plastic cups bearing the emblems of the Krewes
400
What are the names of New Orleans organizations that throw private balls during the carnival season?
What are krewes?
500
in 1872, this man choose the traditional colors
Who is the Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff of Russia The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple (symbolic of justice), green (symbolic of faith) and gold (symbolic of power). The accepted story behind the original selection of these colors originates from 1872 when the Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff of Russia visited New Orleans. It is said that the Grand Duke came to the city in pursuit of an actress named Lydia Thompson. During his stay, he was given the honor of selecting the official Mardi Gras colors by the Krewe of Rex...thus, did these colors also become the colors of the House of Romanoff. The 1892 Rex Parade theme ("Symbolism of Colors") first gave meaning to the representation of the official Mardi Gras colors. Interestingly, the colors of Mardi Gras influenced the choice of school colors for the Lousiana arch-rival colleges, Louisiana State University and Tulane University. Whe LSU was deciding on its colors, the stores in New Orleans had stocked-up on fabrics of purple, green and gold for the upcoming Mardi Gras Season. LSU, opting for purple and gold, bought a large quantity of the available cloth. Tulane purchased much of the only remaining color...green (Tulane's colors are green and white).
500
The group that started the King Cake tradition in 1871
What is Twelfth Night Revelers A giant King Cake is rolled out onto the floor of the ballroom and the Court Maids gather round. Each is given a piece of the Cake...those pieces containing one gold and several silver beans. The lady who receives the gold bean is named Queen and the others become Maids of the Court. Originally a traditional King Cake, the version used today however, is a wooden replica akin to a classic wedding cake which contains small drawers in the bottom layer to hold the beans. The Twelfth Night Revelers ball is a private, invitation-only affair.
500
Since its beginning, Mardi Gras has been cancelled in 1862-1865, 1918-1919 and 1942-1945 due to this
What is the civil war, World War I and World War II? Mardi Gras was cancelled from 1862 to 1865 because of the Civil War. Comus once again started the parades after the war. Rex first appeared in 1872 to honor Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff. Rex did this because New Orleans did not have any royalty and wanted to grandly welcome the Duke. Rex is the first large, organized daytime parade on Mardi Gras Day and may be the most famous of the New Orleans' krewes. Mardi Gras was cancelled again from 1918 to 1919 and from 1942 to 1945 because of World Wars I and II. In the 1950s, Carnival had a significant change. Tractors replaced the mules that pulled the floats. In 1979, many New Orleans policemen went on strike and thirteen parades were cancelled.
500
the French inhabitants through the balls, until this goverment took over and banned the celebrations.
What is the Spanish Government. Private masked balls and parties have been held in New Orleans since at least 1718, when the majority of such festivities were hosted by the French inhabitants. However, when the Spanish government assumed control of the city, parties and street dancing were banned and it was not until 1827, when the United States came to power that the right to party in mask was restored.
500
the official Mardi Gras theme song
What is "IF Ever I Cease to Love You" The official theme song of Rex (and therefore, by default, of Mardi Gras itself) is "If Ever I Cease To Love You." Not particularly an immensely popular public song, it was first played in 1872 during the visit to New Orleans of Grand Duke Alexis of Russia. The Grand Duke had ostensibly fallen in love with the American singer Lydia Thompson after seeing her in a New York burlesque-type musical called "Bluebeard." This song was featured in that show and to honor the Grand Duke's presence at the celebrations, the newly-formed Rex organization set the tune to "march time." It has remained the "song of the season" ever since...even though it has absolutely nothing to do with a "carnival theme."