A few years ago, a new Mardi Gras krewe sprung up with the aim of celebrating the Haitian roots that run deep through the city's cultural identity. It was co-founded by two members of Arcade Fire.
In New Orleans, arguably the most far-out pre-Mardi Gras parade is staged by the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus: home to "revelrous Star Wars freaks, Trekkies, Whovians... and all super-nerds."
New Orleans krewes stage parades through the city in the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras. This year, a krewe formed by Mexican immigrants, Krewe de Mayahuel, showcased Mexican history and art.
Although he traveled the world over, the chef and TV host kept coming back to explore Cajun food culture in Louisiana in a thoughtful way. And he made life-changing impressions on some of its people.
Last month, city officials announced they had pulled 93,000 pounds of old beads out of catch basins along the parade route. So the city created a new system of bead-blockers to keep the drains clear.
In "Lemonade," Beyoncé's much-discussed visual album, a girl resplendent in white plumage appears. It's a nod to the pop star's New Orleans roots and loaded with the region's racial history.
Most people think of New Orleans on Mardi Gras. But the pre-Lenten celebration has roots in another Gulf Coast city. Mobile, Ala., proudly bills itself as the "mother of mystics."
Carnival is a monthlong season in New Orleans, when the colorful brioche cakes dominate the diet and culture. King cakes fuel workplace rituals, inspire contests and drive a collective obsession.
Isolated in the West Virginia wilderness, the tiny town of Helvetia clings to its distinctly Swiss character and foodways. It all culminates with a pre-Lenten festival where food takes center stage.
Few of the rollicking traditions of Catholic Mardi Gras remain in heavily Lutheran Scandinavia. But the Nordic countries and their culinary outposts in the U.S. still celebrate with the yeasty treats.
Courir de Mardi Gras is an old tradition in rural Louisiana. From early morning on, costumed revelers go house to house, drinking, singing and collecting ingredients for a big ole pot of gumbo.
The neighborhood popular with tourists is no longer an exception to New Orleans' stubborn crime rate. A recent run of robberies has residents criticizing city leaders and calling for more protection.
![<em>Semlor</em> served at FIKA in New York City. "The interest [in <em>semlor]</em> is huge," says Lena Khoury, the Swedish cafe chain's director of strategy and communications.](https://knpr.org/sites/default/files/public/styles/thumbnail/public/images/npr-story/386015923_1409219577.jpg?itok=CxEsjibb "Courtesy of FIKA")
