A taxonomy of Mardi Gras' many krewes

New Orleans' Mardi Gras celebration is driven by autonomous 'krewes'

A city ordinance prohibits commercial advertising, and the parade has no central coordinator. Instead, its many activities are organized by individual "krewes"—private clubs of dues-paying members who construct and ride the parades' many colorful floats. The spelling is a faux Old English form of the word "crew," taken from the Mistick Krewe of Comus, who used the stylized language ironically.

A list of Carnival celebrations from around the world

Mardi Gras might be associated with New Orleans, but cities across the globe also celebrate Carnival with similar festivities. This list breaks down nine of the most popular, including masquerade balls in Venice, Creole celebrations in Cape Verde, and the Battle of the Flowers in France.

The Rex krewe determines the king of Mardi Gras

Rex—which means "king" in Latin—was formed in 1872. In preparation for a visit from Russia's Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff, city leaders worked to more formally organize the event to attract tourists. One of the changes they brought was selecting an annual Rex, or King of the Carnival.

Mardi Gras revelers on floats are required to wear masks

Masks are worn to encourage revellers to embrace their wild side without letting their identity get in the way. That's something New Orleans takes seriously: If you're riding on a Mardi Gras float, city law requires that you wear a mask.

Mardi Gras blends pagan celebrations with Christian traditions

The holiday has its roots in pagan celebrations, like ancient Rome's Saturnalian and Lupercalian festivals, which celebrated spring and fertility. Rather than abandoning these traditions, Catholic leaders in Rome incorporated their spirit into a celebration that would expel citizens' debauchery in preparation for the sacrifices they'd endure during the Lenten season. Around the world, this holiday season is called Carnival, though the New Orleans version is usually called Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras has inspired several songs

New Orleans is a historic music town—with deep-rooted jazz, R&B, and blues traditions, to name a few—so it's no surprise that its annual Carnival has led to more than a few Mardi Gras-themed songs through the decades. One of the most famous is Professor Longhair's 1959 track "Go to the Mardi Gras," an upbeat shuffle that's still played at parades today.

Despite Hurricane Katrina, Mardi Gras moved forward in 2006

Although the city had been ravaged by the storm in August 2005 and many of its residents had still not returned by Carnival season in 2006, Mardi Gras celebrations still trudged on, with many krewes' floats and costumes satirizing the fallout from the disaster. Below is a picture by photographers Tyrone Turner and Susan Sterner of one attendee sporting a hazard fence dress.

Mardi Gras has an annual economic impact of nearly $900M

Tulane University's Toni Weiss studies Mardi Gras' effect on New Orleans. Her study of the 2023 parade found that the event generated approximately $891M for the local economy. Weiss also found that the money that the city spent about $10M on the parade (for security, sanitation, and more) but earned a net fiscal benefit of $28M.

Most Mardi Gras floats are constructed from foam and papier-mache

The moving sets were originally drawn by mules and made of wood. Now, they're motorized and intricately crafted from foam and papier-mache. This virtual tour of Mardi Gras World—a New Orleans warehouse responsible for floats for various krewes, as well as for Disney and Six Flags—showcases their vibrant designs.

The Zulu krewe dons black face paint, but says it's not blackface

The majority Black organization was founded in the early 1900s, when Mardi Gras was still segregated. They painted their faces black, both to comply with the Mardi Gras rule requiring masks and to reenact a vaudeville sketch. In recent years, their facepaint has been criticized by some as a form of Jim Crow minstrelsy.

A Mardi Gras alternative takes place in southwest Louisiana

Courir de Mardi Gras, or Cajun Mardi Gras, harkens back to a medieval "feast of begging," when rural French people donned costumes (often mocking the aristocracy) and went from door to door, performing in exchange for gifts.

King cake is a classic Mardi Gras dessert

One of the signature foods of Mardi Gras is the king cake, a green, gold, and purple-sprinkled desert. Baked inside is a hidden figurine, though some bakers use other objects. Whoever gets the piece with the object is blessed with good luck, though they're also expected to bring a cake to the next gathering.

During COVID-19, New Orleanians turned their houses into floats

After the 2021 Mardi Gras parades were canceled, New Orleans resident Joy Boudreaux joked on social media that residents should turn their homes into floats. They followed suit and interested (socially distanced) revellers followed maps of participating homes.

Beads are social currency during Mardi Gras

Historians believe krewes started tossing small items, colloquially called "throws," to onlookers sometime in the 1870s or 1880s. Eventually, shiny beads became the norm and were usually given to those offering something in return. (At times, that meant free booze or the flashing of breasts.) The early strings of beads were glass, though by the 1960s most were plastic.

The Zulu krewe's coconuts are highly coveted 'throws'

The long-running krewe is known for its finely decorated and highly sought-after coconuts, which it tosses from its floats. In 1987, the group faced lawsuits alleging injuries from its coconut tosses, but the state legislature responded with the "Coconut Bill," which freed the krewe from liability for such claims.

The first recorded American Mardi Gras was in Alabama

French explorers observed celebrations in what would become the United States in the late 1600s, but the first recognized modern American Mardi Gras took place in Mobile, Alabama, on New Year's Eve, running from 1830 into 1831. By 1840, the town had incorporated costumes, masks, and themes into its parade. After the Civil War, Mobile's Mardi Gras was moved to the more traditional date of Fat Tuesday. By 1850, a group from Mobile migrated to New Orleans, bringing the city's traditions with it.

25 million pounds of beads are distributed every Mardi Gras, leading to environmental concerns

The necklaces—which are mostly made from cheap, often toxic, plastic—are believed to be harmful to New Orleans and its residents. Dr. Howard Mielke, an environmental scientist at Tulane University, found that the majority of lead in the city's soil can be found along Mardi Gras parade routes.

The history behind New Orleans' drive-thru daiquiris

New Orleans attracts millions of annual visitors with its freewheeling drinking culture, reaching its apex during the weeks-long Mardi Gras celebration. But even the most intemperate tourists might be confused by the city's drive-through daiquiri stands. This resource offers a brief history of the quirky staple and explains how it has survived changes in the law.

Jazz legend Louis Armstrong was once the honorary king of the Zulu krewe

The historically Black krewe invited Armstrong to lead their parade in 1949. The invitation fulfilled a lifelong dream for the musician, who grew up in New Orleans. "After that," he told Time magazine in advance of the parade, "I'll be ready to die."

'Mardi Gras' is French for 'Fat Tuesday'

Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, requires practicing Catholics to fast. The day before the fast became known as "Fat Tuesday" because it was seen as the last opportunity to indulge before fasting on Ash Wednesday and sacrificing throughout Lent. "Carnival" comes from the Latin for "removal of meat."

New Orleans' Congo Square birthed what would become jazz

The city's enslaved people congregated in the city square on Sundays, bringing together the musical traditions of their disparate cultures through drum circles, communal dancing, and call-and-response singing. The rhythmic style that evolved in the area would eventually give rise to ragtime and, subsequently, jazz.

Get to know the five families that ran the NYC mafia

In the 1900s, there were five families in New York City who dominated the crime scene. These five families organized expansive criminal operations—ranging from prostitution and price extortion to money laundering—and have inspired stories like "The Godfather."

Drugs 101: An interactive guide

What's the difference between opioids and psychedelics? This guide details specific drugs and their various associated effects. Drugs in this wheel fall into seven categories: stimulants, depressants, empathogens, psychedelics, dissociatives, cannabinoids, and opioids.

A taxonomy of restaurant types

What's the difference between "fast food" and "fast casual"? Is there any real difference between a "diner" and a "family style restaurant"? This guide from DoorDash explores the industry's fine distinctions, along with some deeper dives into specific enterprises that found success.

A comprehensive guide to the gods

History is filled with the power and mystique of gods, from the epicly bearded Greek boss Zeus to Hoori, the Japanese god of hunting. Check out this database of over 4,000 of the world's deities, from Norse mythology to the gods of Polynesia, and click through for explainers and facts. Peruse specific pantheons (a single culture's collection of gods) or look for the god of a specific attribute, place, or emotion. Dive in here.

A comprehensive taxonomy of American tacos

Tacos may be a Mexican food, but they're wildly popular in America and in a number of different styles. This lengthy guide from Serious Eats was compiled after visiting more than 1,000 taco shops. It breaks down the differences between the many variations on the form (including breakfast, barbacoa, and Deli Mex) you'll encounter in different regions of the country. We don't recommend reading on an empty stomach!

Brazil's Carnaval takes place in a designated stadium

Like Mardi Gras, the official Carnaval celebration in Rio de Janeiro occurs annually before the Lenten season. One of the key differences is that Brazil's version includes a ticketed component held at the Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí, a long, open-air stadium where audiences can watch the floats pass.

A guide to the major figures of the Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a multidisciplinary arts movement that included literature, music, dance, film, theater, photography, visual art, political activism, and more. This primer includes some of its most influential artists, including Oscar Micheaux, Zora Neale Hurston, Paul Robeson, Fats Waller, WEB DuBois, and more, and allows you to explore their lives and major works.

17 cities have hosted a Super Bowl, with Miami and New Orleans tied for the most

The resource details where each Super Bowl has been played, listing every host city alongside its stadium, and shows how a small group of warm-weather and domed locations came to dominate hosting duties over time.

A massive list of wildly specific museums

The definition of a museum varies depending on who you ask and where you find yourself. Need proof? Check out this list of over 80 museums—dedicated to niche interests like hand fans, hovercrafts, and celebrity leftovers (really).

Learn how the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade comes together each year

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is essentially a huge theatrical production spanning several long blocks in New York City rather than a stage. Naturally, organizing it is a complicated process. This podcast episode explains how the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade comes together each year.

Every tropical storm is named from one of six predetermined lists maintained by the World Meteorological Organization.

The traditional parade takes place on the first Sunday of the festival

The parade offers a peek into Oktoberfests of yesteryear, from the Münchner Kindl, a beautiful Munich native who opens the parade, to the Goaßlschnalzen, a float full of men cracking whips.

Louisiana has parishes instead of counties

Louisiana is the only US state that uses parishes rather than counties as its primary local government unit. The distinction traces back to the state's French and Spanish Catholic colonial heritage.

The 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade floats include Camp Snoopy, POPCITY, and more

Whether you want to see the floats in the parade or prefer to learn more about the balloons, performers, and more, this interactive website has it. Click on each of the visuals to see details about the float or balloon. The Beagle Scout Snoopy balloon, for instance, has a giant hat that is as long as 17 beagles lined up end to end.

The Aztecs worshipped a vast pantheon of more than 200 gods.

Go behind the scenes at the Macy’s Parade Studio

With dozens of balloons and floats, and thousands of costumes, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade requires year-round planning to pull off. Go behind the scenes with the designers and builders who make the magic happen. See how the floats come together and what makes this annual spectacle a reality.

View a directory of more than 300 dinosaurs

This resource details each dinosaur's taxonomy, type, diet, and habitat, from Aardonyx to Zuniceratops. More well-researched dinosaurs include information on when they were discovered alongside their size, behaviors, and other noteworthy findings.