Break out the beads and your traditional yellow, green and purple for the annual Mardi Gras at the BAY! Bachelor & Bachelorette party weekend extension as well! Celebrate this great southern tradition Put-in-Bay Island Style on the north coast! One of the most popular weekends for those about to be married to celebrate their upcoming nuptials at Put-in-Bay.
Other Places to Visit during the Weekend
You won’t need too much time to enjoy all that Mardi Gras has to offer, so you’ll need to plot your next move. Maybe you want to see more of Put-in-Bay’s beautiful green spaces. If so, Scheeff East Point Preserve and Jane Coates Wildflower Trail are great choices. Maybe the look from afar of Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial piqued your interest and you want to check it out up close. If so, you’ll pass through historic downtown Put-in-Bay, where you’ll find some amazing shopping and restaurants. Or you could just want an ice cold beer. For that, the choice is simple. Mr. Ed’s Bar and Grille, Put-in-Bay’s most popular bar! As you can see, Put-in-Bay has so much to offer, click here to find your lodging and join us for a summer weekend!
A Short and Sweet History of Mardi Gras
You can trace the roots of Mardi Gras back thousands of years, all the way to pagan spring festivals. The day has similarities to the raucous Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Lupercalia. Once Christianity came to Rome, religious leaders tried to blend the pagan traditions with their Christian traditions for a smoother transition. What resulted was a festival where people drank, feasted, danced, and partied before the abstinent and somber period of Lent began. Some experts even say that this festivity actually began as a response to the Catholic Church banning sex and meat during Lent.
Some don’t realize that while Mardi Gras is always the Tuesday before Lent, the actual season begins in January. Three Kings’ Day, which falls on January 6, is not only the end of the 12 days of Christmas, but it is also marks the beginning of Carnival.
Where did Mardi Gras originate?
While the holiday could have pagan Roman roots, it didn’t become known as “Mardi Gras” until it reached France and then spread throughout Europe. In England, it became known as Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, which is still popular today. European colonists later brought the huge celebrations to the Americas, where it became Carnival Tuesday in Caribbean nations and also now South America with Carnival in Brazil.
When did Mardi Gras start in America?
In 1699, Mardi Gras is said to have made its way to North America, thanks to French-Canadian explorer Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville. He settled down near present-day New Orleans and brought the tradition with him. Where the first official celebration actually happened, however, is up for constant debate. Both Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana are said to have hosted the first celebration. Regardless of which city held the event, it’s known that the festivities had become common practice by the 1730s. In 1837, New Orleans hosted its first Mardi Gras parade.
What does Mardi Gras mean?
In French, Mardi means “Tuesday”, and gras means “fat”. That’s why the day is also referred to as Fat Tuesday. The word originated in France and was what people used to describe the day before Ash Wednesday when they would binge on rich foods such as meat, eggs, milk, and cheese before Lent began.