Hosting a Mardi Gras Party!
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ardi Gras and the hosting of Mardi Gras related parties continues to grow here in the US, Chicago of course, is no exception. We have people come into our store or call us and ask what kinds of things they can do to make their Mardi Gras party a success. Whether you are a restaurant, bar, club or just having a get together at home we have some tips that should help you put together and event that will be remembered.
– A Little History –
“Mardi Gras (/ˈmɑːrdiɡrɑː/), also called Shrove Tuesday,[1] or Fat Tuesday,[2][3][4][5][6] in English, refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three King’s Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”, reflecting the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.” – Credit Wikipedia
“Mardi Gras arrived in North America as a French Catholic tradition with the Le Moyne brothers,[13] Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, in the late 17th century, when King Louis XIVsent the pair to defend France’s claim on the territory of Louisiane, which included what are now the U.S. states of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and part of eastern Texas.[13]” – Credit Wikipedia
– Food and Drink –
Mardi Gras for many is a last hoorah before fasting or giving up certain rich and indulgent foods for the lenten season, so what would a Mardi Gras party be without Food?! Mardi Gras in the United States originated primarily in the Southern States of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, so naturally, many flavorful foods of this region have been incorporated into Mardi Gras Celebrations.
– Appetizers – Main Dishes – Desserts – Drinks-
Starting off with drinks, anything goes for Mardi Gras, mix up your favorite cocktail or beverage of choice and let the good times roll. These Mardi Gras Smoothies are festive, fun and can be served alcohol free. Next up, Appetizers, why not try to modify some party favorites by making Cajun Deviled Eggs, Cajun Meatballs or just Cajun Seasoned Chips and Dip. Some popular Mardi Gras Main Dishes include Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, Gumbo and Étouffée. You don’t need to be a gourmet chef to cook up something your guests will enjoy. Click the links above to find out more information about these dishes and find a recipe that you feel comfortable with, there are many different ways you can prepare these dishes. As for desserts, why not try some rich and indulgent favorites like Bread Pudding, Beignets or making a King Cake!
– Decorations –
Now that you’ve taken care of your Food and Drink you can plan your Decorations and props to make your space festive, fun and ready for your Mardis Gras revelers! We have tons of Decorations and props that can help decorate your space.
– Beads –
Why not greet your guests with Mardi Gras Beads? The colors of the Mardi Gras Beads were determined by the king of the first daytime Mardi Gras Carnival back in 1872. The colors were symbolic of certain qualities, Gold for Power, Purple for Justice and Green for Faith. The original idea was to present the particular color beads to the person who most exhibited the qualities associated with that color. We have all kinds of Beads that you can use to Decorate your space, aside for handing them out to guests you can also use them on tables for accent decorations.
– Masks –
– Headwear and More –
Headwear such as our Mardi Gras Head Boppers, Hats and King or Queen Crowns are all Great additions to your party. You can couple these items with Masks and Beads to take memorable photos and send them to your guests or share on popular social media sites. Aside from wearables we have great hanging decorations, table centerpieces and of course Balloons! If you are local to Chicago you can choose from our predefined inflated balloon clusters or call us and we can create the perfect Mardi Gras Balloon Cluster to complement your venue and add something fun to the air.
We hope that the information provided above gets you well on your way to having a great Mardi Gras Party! If you have other ideas or have done something at a previous party that you would like to share let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you!
-Doolins