For Many, Mardi Gras is known as one big party that is celebrated far beyond Bourbon Street. But, Mardi Gras is also a holiday full of tradition. Here we take a look at seven fun facts about Mardi Gras.“Mardi Gras—the French term for 'Fat Tuesday'—lasts from January 6 until February 13. Carnival kicks off 12 days after Christmas on January 6 (otherwise known as Twelfth Night) and continues until Fat Tuesday (the evening before Ash Wednesday.) It's a period filled with celebrations, parades, balls, and parties, all of which culminate on Mardi Gras."

“Why do people throw beads during MardiI Gras? The practice of handing out trinkets during Mardi Gras can be traced back to the 19th century. In the 1870s or 1880s, Louisiana party organizers known as krewes began handing out shiny tokens to carnival-goers. Beads have represented health and prosperity for much of human history. The first Mardi Gras beads—made of glass instead of cheap plastic—became highly-coveted items among revelers."

“Parades are planned by Krewes. Krewes are organizations that puts on a parade and/or a ball for Mardi Gras/Carnvial. They are clubs of a sort, with dues ranging from $20 to thousands of dollars annually. Krewes are also responsible for selecting carnival royalty in New Orleans, such as 'Rex', the king of Mardi Gras."

“It is illegal to wear masks in New Orleans except on Mardi Gras. The masquerade is an enduring tradition of the Mardi Gras festivities as an opportunity for people to shed their inhibitions and fully imbibe in the party-spirit. A New Orleans city ordinance prohibits the wearing of masks on any other day, and on Mardi Gras masks must be removed by 6:00 p.m."

“What is king cake? And what does it have to do with Mardi Gras? King cake is a Mardi Gras confection that comes with a baby figurine baked inside. Whoever finds the baby is believed to be blessed with luck and prosperity and made "king" for the day. Early versions of the cake baked for Pagan Saturnalia celebrations contained a hidden fava bean instead of a plastic doll."

“The traditional colors are purple, green, and gold. It has been rumored that when Grand Duke Alexis visited in 1872, his welcoming committee handed out purple, green, and gold beads to the party-goers that year, as they were the colors of his home. The trio of shades came to symbolize the festivities and were later given meanings: purple for justice, gold for power, and green for faith."

“The first New Orleans Mardi Gras parade was 177 years ago. New Orleans has been celebrating Fat Tuesday with parades since 1837. The first floats appeared in the parade in 1857.