French Club's Mardi Gras Ball: An Evening in New Orleans

Students, faculty and the community gathered for French Club’s Mardi Gras Ball on Sunday, March 8th, 2015 in the Horizons Room. People came in masks or wearing beads, showing their spirit for the Mardi Gras culture. Mardi Gras is more than just a day, it’s a season. Mardi Gras starts on Epiphany (Three King’s Day) and continues on until the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is known as “Fat Tuesday” because it is the last day that people can eat fatty and rich foods before the traditionally fasting during Lent. New Orleans is well-known for Mardi Gras celebrations and served as an inspiration for the event.The ball’s food included a variety of cajun-style food including shrimp gumbo, chicken jambalaya, red beans and rice, green beans, salad and french bread. The dessert was also traditional of Louisiana including beignets, a fried dough treat covered in powdered sugar. Dessert also included king cake, a french bread braided with cinnamon in its interior and topped with glaze, which is a popular dessert during the Mardi Gras season.  

Weapons of Jazz Combo, a local jazz ensemble, played throughout the evening. The mixture of lively and swinging jazz combined with the smooth jazz paved way for the perfect opportunity for dancing. Everyone was engaged with the music whether they were listening to the band, dancing or watching the lively and wondrous dance moves of others. 

During the event, everyone had the opportunity to further learn about the Mardi Gras culture through a presentation presented by Mikayla Kozlowski. Mikayla presented on the history of New Orleans with the founding of Point Du Mardi Gras by the Le Moyne brothers in 1699. This later led to the first celebration of Mardi Gras in 1703 and the official declaration of Mardi Gras as a holiday with the Mardi Gras Act of 1875 in Louisiana. As part of the presentation, the audience also learned about krewes, which were an essential part of Mardi Gras. The krewes put on parades and balls during the Mardi Gras season. 

In spirit of the Krewes, each table at the ball had the opportunity to compete in building the best float based on the supplies they were given. The winners were decided by the French Club eBoard and were given crowns so that they could be the kings and queens of Mardi Gras. 

To enjoy more culture by French Club, join them on Tuesday's at 8pm in the Global Connections Lounge!

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