New Orleans Kicks Off Carnival With Festivities

[moobu2]

The Big Easy looks forward to what might be the most successful celebration since Katrina.

Roll out the king cakes, plastic beads and Mardi Gras masks. Carnival season has begun in New Orleans.

Jan. 6, the 12th night on the Biblical calendar, marked the beginning of the 153rd annual pre-Lenten celebration. Before it wraps up Feb. 24, almost 100 parades will have rolled in the area and thousands of riders will have thrown tons of glitzy gee-gaws to what organizers hope will be huge crowds.

"The celebration is pretty local for a couple of weeks," said Mardi Gras historian Errol Laborde. "But the parades kick in just before the end of the month, and then it's pretty much nonstop."

Mayor Ray Nagin acknowledged the start of the season with the city's annual king cake party, slicing up dozens of pastries covered with purple, green and gold icing, and each holding a tiny, plastic baby. Tradition has it that the person getting the baby in their slice of cake must supply the next king cake.

King cakes, believed to have originated in France around the 12th century, are eaten throughout Carnival season, but on 12th night, or the Feast of the Epiphany, they mark the arrival of the three wise men bearing gifts 12 days after Christmas.


MSN

[BOSSHOG]

1. Interrupted by tragedy

when two FIFTEEN YEAR OLDS shot and killed an unarmed bartender as she was strolling in the quarter. Fortunately they have been arrested and may be tried as adults.

I do love this time of year though. Will get to the quarter for some festivities, but in the daylight hours.