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Book your private jet charter to Mardi Gras New Orleans 2018


New Orleans is always a fun-loving town, but it’s never more alive than during Mardi Gras. We’ve put together a guide to the Big Easy’s biggest party so you can be a part of it.

How did Mardi Gras start?

A purple Mardi Gras mask on Bourbon Street in New Orleans
A purple Mardi Gras mask on Bourbon Street in New Orleans

Mardi Gras dates back as early as 1699, when French explorers Iberville and Bienville first landed in Louisiana and threw a small Shrove Tuesday celebration just south of present-day New Orleans.The first official celebration in New Orleans took place in over 150 years later 1857, when a secret society of businessmen named the Mistick Krewe of Comus led a parade with marching bands and floats. In 1875, Governor Warmoth signed the Mardi Gras Act, declaring it a legal holiday in Louisiana. French for ‘Fat Tuesday’, the festival’s name reflects the practice of consuming rich, fatty foods the night before fasting begins for Lent.

What are Mardi Gras Krewes?

Beaded necklaces hanging on railings as part of Mardi Gras
Beaded necklaces hanging on railings as part of Mardi Gras

Since that first celebration, krewes have been an integral part of the Mardi Gras tradition. These membership-based organizations, some of which date back centuries, throw Mardi Gras parades and balls every year. Each krewe chooses an annual theme and plans a parade with elaborate floats and costumes.

The most famous krewes are the Zulus, who throw coconuts into the crowd, and the Rex Krewe, whose members give out collectable doubloon coins engraved with their emblem. The Mardi Gras Indians are known for their spectacular beaded and feathered handmade costumes, while the Rolling Elvi is a scooter-riding krewe whose members wear Elvis costumes. In addition to the parades, many krewes host post-parade parties, some of which are elegant invitation-only black-tie balls.

When is Mardi Gras celebrated?

Book your private jet charter to Mardi Gras New Orleans
Book your private jet charter to Mardi Gras New Orleans

Mardi Gras is the last hurrah before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent. This year’s festival falls on Tuesday, February 13, but the festivities begin the previous weekend. Mardi Gras is free to attend, but those who would rather avoid the crowded streets and look out over the action from above can purchase bleacher seats to the parade.

How can I get to Mardi Gras?

Commercial flights to New Orleans for Mardi Gras are expensive and often sell out several months in advance. Instead, allow us to help you book a private jet charter to Mardi Gras. No matter where you’re traveling from, you can fly directly into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), just 11 miles from the center of the festivities.

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