Happy Mardi Gras!!!




                What is Mardi Gras ? Where did it start and why do we celebrate it?
   
           Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday," reflecting the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual of fasting of the Lenten season....In countries such as the United Kingdom, Mardi Gras is also known as shrove Tuesday, which is derived from the shrive, meaning to "confess."
           Despite the holiday's rich history in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mayor Sam Jones of Mobile, Alabama, says the first Mardi Gras celebration in the USA took place in Mobile, Alabama. Mobile is the birthplace of Mardi Gras and it originated right in the port city in 1703. It was revived after the Civil War when citizen Joe Cain, fed up with civil war misery led an impromptu parade down the streets of Mobile. The people have been doing it up bigger and better ever since. They decorate floats and have enormous parades and flying moon pies. You can see masked mythical societies and ladies in ball dresses going all out for the occasion. This year the festivities kick off on January 26th and end on February 13th. You can catch all the information on @MobileMardiGras on facebook and Twitter! Don't miss the fun!