Mardi Gras Worldwide

March 4, 2003 12:19 AM

It's finally here. You're certainly familiar with the festivals in New Orleans and Rio, but what about Haiti, Germany, and Watertown, Tennesee? Also called Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras has ancient origins with links back to Lupercalia and other pre-Christian celebrations. Carnival translates as "farewell to the flesh," which speaks to the surrender of beloved things during the season of Lent.
So, what will you do for beads, babe?
posted by moonbird (9 comments total)

The carnaval held every year in Binche (Belgium) maybe classified as humanity immaterieal treasure (or something like that) by the UNESCO.
posted by Baud at 5:37 AM on March 4, 2003

No beads, please, we're from Tempe.

And remember, kids, when they pry the beads from your cold, dead fingers, only criminals will have bare breasts!
posted by kablam at 6:56 AM on March 4, 2003

In the Detroit area, there's a traditionally Polish enclave called Hamtramck and every year, Detroiters flock to the neighborhood to stock up on really fatty jelly donuts called Paczki (pronounced "poonch-kee").
They have a parade this year and are trying to make it a St. Patrick's day-type bash based around, well, a donut.
Umm...did I mention that this is the same city that built a monorail that goes around and around in a circle one-way?
Hey, it's cold here. We can't go around popping our tops, now, can we?
posted by chandy72 at 6:56 AM on March 4, 2003

Show us your teats! Show us your teats! (warning not safe for work, unless you work on a farm I suppose)
posted by Pollomacho at 9:16 AM on March 4, 2003

Not to flog a dead donut or anything, but I found a funner (sic) Paczki Day site. Woo-hoo! I can feel the lard coursing through my veins.
posted by chandy72 at 9:31 AM on March 4, 2003

Mardi Gras in Appalachia
posted by homunculus at 10:39 AM on March 4, 2003

Mardi Gras in Appalachia: Show us your teats indeed!
posted by Pollomacho at 11:05 AM on March 4, 2003

I would recommend the Carnaval in Martinique as quite an awesome experience.

I would like to try some of the Cajun celebrations like Mamou or Lafayette too.
Laissez les bon temps roulez!
posted by madamjujujive at 11:52 AM on March 4, 2003

homonculus: nice link. It's a mere 370 miles from here (Asheville NC) so I think I'll try that next year... on the flipside, Martinique is appealing too, though a bit more out of the way.
posted by moonbird at 2:01 PM on March 4, 2003