What Mardi Gras Colors Mean

Gold stands for power and on mardi gras it can be found everywhere.

What mardi gras colors mean. 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. Of course you can wear pretty much whatever you want on mardi gras it s a day that s sort of. Purple green and gold became the recognized colors of the new orleans mardi gras celebration thanks to a visit to new orleans by the grand duke alexis romanov of russia. Lsu decided upon purple and gold and bought much of it.

The first record of the holiday was in louisiana in 1699. 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 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. According to legend mardi gras colors influenced the choice of school colors for archrivals louisiana state university and tulane university.

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 mardi gras celebrations in new orleans set the standards for food music and decoration with each element down to the signature colors of purple green and gold steeped in. They say when lsu was deciding on its colors the shops in new orleans had stocked up on purple green and gold for the mardi gras season. The three colors have a much more practical origin too.

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.