I had the opportunity to be in New Orleans during portions of Mardi Gras and it was an experience that is hard to understand without being there. The area is very festive and the people are amazing, the costumes that groups wore were absolutely beautiful and creative. There were a lot of parades happening during the four days that I was in New Orleans, I had the opportunity to see several parades.

Whether it was an all-female parade that was throwing decorative heels into the crowd. There was a parade that honored deceased rock stars, Prince, Michael Jackson and of course Elvis, a parade of fairies, high school band parades, and these are just a few that I had the opportunity to view.

Now, Bourbon Street, where the action happens during the evening, reminds me of Animal House. The street was wall to wall people, drinking, throwing beads, making out, and doing all kinds of behavior. I am sure that the people attending Mardi Gras, are well-mannered, standup people on any given day, but Mardi Gras brings out the inner party animal of people of all ages.

What exactly is Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras refers to a Carnival celebration, either beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany, (Three Kings Day), and finishing up the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is a French word meaning "Fat Tuesday," the practice of eating richer fatty foods before fasting during Lent. New Orleans considers Mardi Gras to stretch the entire period from the 12th night, the last night of Christmas, which begins Epiphany to Ash Wednesday.

French explorers Pierre Le Moyne d'lberville and Sieur de Bienville, the first American Mardi Gras took place on March 3, 1699. The landing spot of the French explorers had a small celebration, Port du Mardi Gras. New Orleans and French settlements began marking the holiday with a street party, masked balls and lavish dinners for several decades, prior to 1763 when Span took control of New Orleans. The Spanish abolished these rowdy rituals and was banned until Lousiana became a U.S. state in 1812.

Mardi Gras in 1827, a group of students donned colorful costumes and danced in the streets, the first parade was about 10 years later. A secrety society called Mistick Krewe of Comus, in 1857, organized a torch-lit procession with marching bands and rolling floats setting the stage of Mardi Gras today. Throwing beads, trinkets, wearing masks, costumes, decorating floats and eating King Crab, are some of the traditions that are seen during Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Today, the celebration is a huge part of not only New Orleans but the entire state of Louisana. Louisana is the only state that Mardi Gras is a legal holiday.