MARDI GRAS: CARNIVAL IN THE USA

For those who believe that Carnival is exclusively Brazilian, you should know about Mardi Gras. It's a celebration that happens in the State of Louisiana, and is most famous in New Orleans. Just like in Brazil,  celebration starts about two weeks before the Fat Tuesday (Terça-feira Gorda), the day before the Ash Wednesday (Quarta-feira de Cinzas), and  they have one major parade each day. People wear masks and costumes, just like it used to be in Brazil in the past.

 But the last 5 days are the most important, with larger parades, and with parties and balls in traditional clubs and night clubs. If you believe that naked women in Carnival is also a Brazilian invention... you should take a look at Mardi Gras pictures all over the internet. It's a tradition women showing their breasts, just lifting their shirts as you can see in the poster below:

Oh, yes, Mardi Gras is considered a celebration where everything is permitted... Men can wear women's clothes, people drink a lot, go wild, lose their inhibitions, and ladies show their boobs! Some of them do that to receive  Mardi Gras beads, which are necklaces of different colors. But it's not something they must do, and it happens specifically on Bourbon Street. Look at the picture:

But the music people listen during Mardi Gras isn't samba, of course. They listen to classic jazz, rock, New Orleans Mardi Gras folk music, soul. The lists may be have many types of traditional american music.
 Children also take part in the celebrations, wearing masks and going to parades. Look :

And, if you liked this traditions, you can visit these websites and read more about History, Tradition and the Celebration of Mardi Gras in the USA.
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/
http://pessoas.hsw.uol.com.br/festival-de-mardi-gras.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/mardi-gras

Happy Mardi Gras!

Carmen