Mardi Gras is a French celebration that dates back thousands of years to pagan celebrations of spring and fertility. When Christianity first arrived during the medieval years religious leaders wanted to incorporate their celebrations into tradition, and so they made Mardi Gras a holiday.

Mardi Gras translates to “Fat Tuesday,” and always takes place the day before Ash Wednesday. It is used as a preparation for Lent – the 40 days of fasting between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. This year it took place on Feb 13.

Mardi Gras first made its way to the United States in the early 1700s and is now widely celebrated across Louisiana, Alabama, and Missouri. The main place tourists go to celebrate Mardi Gras is New Orleans, Louisiana, which gets nearly one million visitors each year.

“I have been to New Orleans before but never during Mardi Gras,” freshman Declynn Guerrero said. “It seems really cool and I would like to go someday to see all the parades and parties.”

During Mardi Gras, people dress up in costumes mainly containing purple, green, and gold. These three colors are the main colors of Mardi Gras, purple represents justice, green represents faith, and gold represents power.

Dating back to the 1700s, Mardi Gras was usually canceled or banned because of how destructive the parties were. But in the 1800s, the community wanted to elevate the disorganized experience and instead of causing destruction, they decided to make the experience exciting with parades and lavish balls.

“I love seeing people dress up for Mardi Gras,” freshman Elena Nguyen said. “I love all the colors and seeing people express themselves.”

Although Mardi Gras is not as recognized in California as it is in other states, many people still celebrate it. Parades, parties, and carnivals take place, mainly in San Francisco and San Diego. One of the most popular places to go is SeaWorld San Diego, where they have music, costumes, and Mardi Gras-inspired foods.