What Does Mardi Gras Colors Mean

There is an urban legend that the mardi gras colors are responsible for the choice of school colors for archrivals louisiana state university and tulane university.

What does mardi gras colors mean. Mardi gras was brought to louisiana by early french settlers. Mardi gras is a day rich with symbolism and tradition and probably no city on earth has contributed more to the tradition of mardi gras than new orleans louisiana. The first record of the holiday was in louisiana in 1699. And in 1892 the rex parade theme symbolism of colors gave meaning to these colors.

Apparently most of new orleans is wrong about the origin of mardi gras colors. The colors traditionally associated with mardi gras in new orleans are green gold and purple the colors were first specified in proclamations by the rex organization during the lead up to their inaugural parade in 1872 suggesting that balconies be draped in banners of these colors. Mardi gras ˈ m ɑːr d i ˌ ɡ r ɑː or fat tuesday refers to events of the carnival celebration beginning on or after the christian feasts of the epiphany three kings day and culminating on the day before ash wednesday which is known as shrove tuesday. The starting date of festivities in new orleans is unknown but an account from 1743 notes that the custom of carnival balls was already established by that date.

The truth about the purple green and gold of mardi gras. Let s break it down. The three colors have a much more practical origin too. Mardi gras is french for fat tuesday reflecting the practice of the last night of eating rich fatty foods before the ritual.

Yes they re purple green and gold.