It’s Carnival time, and excitement is spreading to students around campus.The Student Activities Board hosted a Mardi Gras Expo in Free Speech Alley on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and educated students on the history of Carnival.Students gave out pamphlets featuring Mardi Gras history as well as Latin-American Carnival history.Carnival refers to a period which begins Jan. 6 every year — The Feast of the Epiphany. Mardi Gras refers to Fat Tuesday, the final day of festivity before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.”I don’t know much about the history of Mardi Gras, but I do know it’s a great celebration where everyone comes together and goes to the parades,” said Taylor Fernandez, business junior.Students tested their Carnival and Mardi Gras knowledge with different trivia quizzes, with winners receiving gift certificates to VooDoo BBQ & Grill.”My main goal was to teach people about Mardi Gras — especially for people not from the New Orleans area — and also teach Latin-American Carnival history to students,” said Marlon Boutin, Pop Fusion chair who directed the event.Baton Rouge and New Orleans parade route schedules were dispensed, as well as pamphlets on the dangers of alcohol poisoning.”Many students drink heavily for the first time at Mardi Gras, so I thought these pamphlets would help to bring awareness to them,” Boutin said.Reva Broussard, biology senior, celebrates Mardi Gras every year and said attending parades is time worth wasting.”I’ll definitely be going to New Orleans the weekend before Mardi Gras Day,” Broussard said.The Saints’ trip to the Super Bowl has also inspired a new type of New Orleans parade.A Saints-themed parade will run in New Orleans Feb. 9, featuring many players from the team.”There will be some type of massive parade in the city of New Orleans, win or lose,” New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin told reporters Tuesday night.Some Saints fans around campus plan to drive to New Orleans to attend the unique parade.”I can’t wait to go celebrate in honor of the team,” Fernandez said.
——Contact Mallory Logan at [email protected]