Mardi Gras: Celebrating Fashion, Art and Culture (Photos)

Mardi gras is officially celebrated this Tuesday February 12, 2013 in New Orleans. Several interesting local events take place prior and after the festivities. Many other cities across the states to include Colorado Springs joined in the activities via the arts, fashion and cultural events; especially since Louisiana forms part of early American history.
The original celebrations began back in medieval times for went across Rome then Venice and later brought to America by the French. The celebration even goes further back to the former nobility’s celebrating their hard work, new prosperity and the simultaneous adjusting to growing Christianity. During early colonial times; a French-Canadian by the name of Bienville established the city of New Orleans in 1718 and started the tradition for they would feast before Lent would begin on Ash Wednesday. (Mardi Gras History, 2013). This is the reason Mardi gras was known as fat Tuesday and to this day has influenced cultural events in the arts such as with music, dance and fashion to include others. Lent would mean days of sacrifice, fasting and much needed quiet time. Local artists here celebrated with a masquerade ball, food, dance and a mask contest. Some got great exposure by displaying their art nationwide via Pinterest. Many of the artists even made fashion wearable art pieces at the event. Enjoy Mardi Gras and continue to support your local artists.