2023-01-13 04:24:03
A STATE OF CELEBRATION Love a good party? Louisiana offers more than 400 festivals annually – some world famous, some soon to be. There’s a celebration for every one of your senses. Come hear the music at Satchmo SummerFest in New Orleans, the Swamp Pop Music Festival in Gonzales and the Louisiana Legends Festival in Homer. Make your taste buds happy at the Etouffee Festival in Arnaudville, the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival in Morgan City and the Louisiana Food Truck Festival in Slidell. Treat your eyes to original art at the Covington Three Rivers Art Festival, the Shadows Arts and Crafts Fair in New Iberia and at TASTE: A Festival of Food and Art in Bossier City. Looking for some offbeat fun? Hop on over to the Rayne Frog Festival in the self-proclaimed "Frog Capital of the World." And ignite your sense of wonder during the holiday season at the St. James Parish Festival of the Bonfires in Lutcher, the Natchitoches Christmas Festival and the Light up the Lake Christmas Celebration in Lake Charles. Search our full calendar! Check out our online calendar for a schedule of fairs, festivals and signature events throughout the year at LouisianaTravel.com/Events! EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF MARDI GRAS It’s been said of Mardi Gras that everywhere else, it’s just a Tuesday. The same might be said for Louisiana’s incredible lineup of signature festivals and local fairs. Everywhere else, they’re just events. Although Mardi Gras is synonymous with Fat Tuesday, Carnival agoes on for much longer than that, from Jan. 6 (King’s Day) to the day before Ash Wednesday. It’s also known for its signature colors (purple, green and gold, which stand for justice, faith and power) and its theme song of Rex, the King of Mardi Gras, which is “If Ever I Cease to Love.” Witness the spectacle yourself to hear parade-goers yell, “Throw me something, Mister,” as krewe members toss “throws” that include hand-decorated coconuts, shoes and even toilet plungers. And be sure to eat a king cake, which absolutely EVERYONE does! See the 610 Stompers, Muff-a-lettas, Amelia Airhawts and other creative dance troupes do their thing. Catch a glimpse at “flambeaux,” the torch carriers who light up night parades, and the colorful Mardi Gras Indians. Then venture outside New Orleans for Courir de Mardi Gras, where many communities across South and Central Louisiana get all dressed up in colorful outfits and go house to house, some on horseback, begging for ingredients to make a gumbo. Even though it’s become one of the biggest parties on the planet, there are some lesserknown sides of Mardi Gras as well – like that it’s great for families. Metairie is most famous for its Family Gras celebration, where the parades end at concerts featuring big-name entertainment. Mardi Gras is also for the dogs. All across the state, costumed canines catch bones, not beads, at parades like the Mystic Krewe of Barkus in New Orleans, Krewe of Barkus and Meoux in Shreveport, and Krewe des Chien in Lafayette. Speaking of dogs, did you know the Krewe of Highland in Shreveport is famous for tossing hot dogs? While Mardi Gras is called “the biggest free show on Earth,” the ‘tit Rex parade in the Marigny thinks small. You see, ‘tit is short for “petit” and, instead of the triple-decker super floats you see at some parades, this microkrewe is known for its tiny shoebox floats with Barbie and Ken doll-sized monarchs. Simply put, there’s nothing more fun than Mardi Gras in Louisiana. From Grand Cane to Grand Coteau to Grand Isle and all points over, under and in between, folks yell ”Laissez les bons temps rouler!” – “Let the good times roll!” Party Mardi hearty at LouisianaTravel.com/Events/Mardi-Gras!
©Louisiana. View All Articles.