New Orleans Mardi Gras is more than just a celebration before the Christian
a celebration before the Christian
a celebration before the Christian season of Lent begins in this city
season of Lent begins in this city
season of Lent begins in this city preparations for the big day begin weeks
preparations for the big day begin weeks
preparations for the big day begin weeks and even months in advance
and even months in advance
and even months in advance [Music]
[Music]
[Music] early mornings are nothing new for
early mornings are nothing new for
early mornings are nothing new for Baker’s but the pre-dawn workload grows
Baker’s but the pre-dawn workload grows
Baker’s but the pre-dawn workload grows during Carnival season from January 6th
during Carnival season from January 6th
during Carnival season from January 6th through Fat Tuesday New Orleans cake
through Fat Tuesday New Orleans cake
through Fat Tuesday New Orleans cake Cafe and Bakery is a beehive of activity
Cafe and Bakery is a beehive of activity
Cafe and Bakery is a beehive of activity where they make as many as 50 king cakes
where they make as many as 50 king cakes
where they make as many as 50 king cakes a day here they make non traditional
a day here they make non traditional
a day here they make non traditional goat cheese and apple stuffed cakes
goat cheese and apple stuffed cakes
goat cheese and apple stuffed cakes there’s very old-school king cakes in
there’s very old-school king cakes in
there’s very old-school king cakes in New Orleans they’ve been at it for 50 60
New Orleans they’ve been at it for 50 60
New Orleans they’ve been at it for 50 60 100 years some of them and they have a
100 years some of them and they have a
100 years some of them and they have a loyal following the old-school King cake
loyal following the old-school King cake
loyal following the old-school King cake has a tiny baby or other trinket baked
has a tiny baby or other trinket baked
has a tiny baby or other trinket baked inside and whoever gets the trinket has
inside and whoever gets the trinket has
inside and whoever gets the trinket has obligations such as by next year’s king
obligations such as by next year’s king
obligations such as by next year’s king cake here the baby goes on the outside
cake here the baby goes on the outside
cake here the baby goes on the outside the king cake is a traditional New
the king cake is a traditional New
the king cake is a traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras pastry you’ll find
Orleans Mardi Gras pastry you’ll find
Orleans Mardi Gras pastry you’ll find pastries like this all over the country
pastries like this all over the country
pastries like this all over the country and all over the world that they’re only
and all over the world that they’re only
and all over the world that they’re only served for a certain season during the
served for a certain season during the
served for a certain season during the year in another part of town
year in another part of town
year in another part of town Sally Hedrick and her son are making 150
Sally Hedrick and her son are making 150
Sally Hedrick and her son are making 150 or more ornate costumes these are for
or more ornate costumes these are for
or more ornate costumes these are for the social organizations throwing the
the social organizations throwing the
the social organizations throwing the lavish balls and parades some may go for
lavish balls and parades some may go for
lavish balls and parades some may go for more than three thousand dollars it is
more than three thousand dollars it is
more than three thousand dollars it is rewarding to see the women in these
rewarding to see the women in these
rewarding to see the women in these costumes gleam but it’s more rewarding
costumes gleam but it’s more rewarding
costumes gleam but it’s more rewarding to see the men because a man doesn’t get
to see the men because a man doesn’t get
to see the men because a man doesn’t get to dress up in beautiful clothes he’s
to dress up in beautiful clothes he’s
to dress up in beautiful clothes he’s usually in a tuxedo Hedrick works on
usually in a tuxedo Hedrick works on
usually in a tuxedo Hedrick works on costumes year-round refurbishing ones
costumes year-round refurbishing ones
costumes year-round refurbishing ones that took a bit of a beating during last
that took a bit of a beating during last
that took a bit of a beating during last year’s Mardi Gras celebrations and
year’s Mardi Gras celebrations and
year’s Mardi Gras celebrations and creating new works for a look back at
creating new works for a look back at
creating new works for a look back at years past the Louisiana State Museum
years past the Louisiana State Museum
years past the Louisiana State Museum lets visitors see more than a century
lets visitors see more than a century
lets visitors see more than a century and a half of New Orleans Mardi Gras
and a half of New Orleans Mardi Gras
and a half of New Orleans Mardi Gras traditions the oldest item in the
traditions the oldest item in the
traditions the oldest item in the carnival collection is something that we
carnival collection is something that we
carnival collection is something that we were very fortunate to acquire just a
were very fortunate to acquire just a
were very fortunate to acquire just a couple of years ago it’s a ball
couple of years ago it’s a ball
couple of years ago it’s a ball invitation that dates to the 1850s
invitation that dates to the 1850s
invitation that dates to the 1850s the carnival exhibit at the Museum on
the carnival exhibit at the Museum on
the carnival exhibit at the Museum on Jackson Square only shows the tip of the
Jackson Square only shows the tip of the
Jackson Square only shows the tip of the iceberg
iceberg
iceberg however the museum’s warehouse
however the museum’s warehouse
however the museum’s warehouse periodically offers tours where visitors
periodically offers tours where visitors
periodically offers tours where visitors can see the thousands of costumes and
can see the thousands of costumes and
can see the thousands of costumes and other items the way that we celebrate
other items the way that we celebrate
other items the way that we celebrate Mardi Gras now and for the last 150
Mardi Gras now and for the last 150
Mardi Gras now and for the last 150 years revolves around what we called a
years revolves around what we called a
years revolves around what we called a cruise system there are all these clubs
cruise system there are all these clubs
cruise system there are all these clubs that exist that are called Mardi Gras
that exist that are called Mardi Gras
that exist that are called Mardi Gras cruise
cruise
cruise [Music]
for the dozens of cruise spelled with AK
for the dozens of cruise spelled with AK a lavish balls highlight Mardi Gras the
a lavish balls highlight Mardi Gras the
a lavish balls highlight Mardi Gras the Knights of Sparta crew was founded in
Knights of Sparta crew was founded in
Knights of Sparta crew was founded in 1951 for the last 30 years they paraded
1951 for the last 30 years they paraded
1951 for the last 30 years they paraded in the city and currently host a
in the city and currently host a
in the city and currently host a masquerade ball and parade that falls on
masquerade ball and parade that falls on
masquerade ball and parade that falls on the next to the last weekend of Carnival
the next to the last weekend of Carnival
the next to the last weekend of Carnival season the cruise captain does not
season the cruise captain does not
season the cruise captain does not publicly reveal his identity he says it
publicly reveal his identity he says it
publicly reveal his identity he says it isn’t about secrecy I wear the mask
isn’t about secrecy I wear the mask
isn’t about secrecy I wear the mask however because it is the tradition of
however because it is the tradition of
however because it is the tradition of Carnival to mask to hide one’s identity
Carnival to mask to hide one’s identity
Carnival to mask to hide one’s identity because when I represent my carnival
because when I represent my carnival
because when I represent my carnival crew the Knights of Sparta I am simply
crew the Knights of Sparta I am simply
crew the Knights of Sparta I am simply the captain one should not know my name
the captain one should not know my name
the captain one should not know my name or Who I am belonging to or leading a
or Who I am belonging to or leading a
or Who I am belonging to or leading a crew takes a big commitment it is very
crew takes a big commitment it is very
crew takes a big commitment it is very costly to the members of the
costly to the members of the
costly to the members of the organization paying dues buying the
organization paying dues buying the
organization paying dues buying the trinkets the throws as we call them to
trinkets the throws as we call them to
trinkets the throws as we call them to throw off the floats ball gowns for the
throw off the floats ball gowns for the
throw off the floats ball gowns for the ladies
ladies
ladies tickets to different functions and we do
tickets to different functions and we do
tickets to different functions and we do it because of a sense of tradition
it because of a sense of tradition
it because of a sense of tradition [Music]
[Music]
[Music] as Fat Tuesday approaches warehouses
as Fat Tuesday approaches warehouses
as Fat Tuesday approaches warehouses throughout the city come to life float
throughout the city come to life float
throughout the city come to life float dins as they are called housed the
dins as they are called housed the
dins as they are called housed the floats that can cost hundreds of
floats that can cost hundreds of
floats that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to construct it can
thousands of dollars to construct it can
thousands of dollars to construct it can take a month or more to build and
take a month or more to build and
take a month or more to build and decorate the elaborate floats some of
decorate the elaborate floats some of
decorate the elaborate floats some of which date back to the early 1900’s it’s
which date back to the early 1900’s it’s
which date back to the early 1900’s it’s part of the economy here too it puts a
part of the economy here too it puts a
part of the economy here too it puts a lot of people to work I mean you know to
lot of people to work I mean you know to
lot of people to work I mean you know to make a float like this you need
make a float like this you need
make a float like this you need carpenters you need auto student you
carpenters you need auto student you
carpenters you need auto student you need welders you need tire people you
need welders you need tire people you
need welders you need tire people you need mechanic so it’s a lot involved and
need mechanic so it’s a lot involved and
need mechanic so it’s a lot involved and a final vital ingredient for mardi gras
a final vital ingredient for mardi gras
a final vital ingredient for mardi gras is the music
is the music
is the music grammy-winning artist Irvin Mayfield
grammy-winning artist Irvin Mayfield
grammy-winning artist Irvin Mayfield from television you see these parades go
from television you see these parades go
from television you see these parades go by people throwing beads but what you
by people throwing beads but what you
by people throwing beads but what you really don’t see is that Mardi Gras
really don’t see is that Mardi Gras
really don’t see is that Mardi Gras lives out in people’s houses and lives
lives out in people’s houses and lives
lives out in people’s houses and lives out on the streets it lives out in the
out on the streets it lives out in the
out on the streets it lives out in the halls and the parties and receptions and
halls and the parties and receptions and
halls and the parties and receptions and it’s not a thing over one day so I would
it’s not a thing over one day so I would
it’s not a thing over one day so I would say in terms of music you know it’s very
say in terms of music you know it’s very
say in terms of music you know it’s very hard to have my degree without the music
hard to have my degree without the music
hard to have my degree without the music and he says any musician growing up in
and he says any musician growing up in
and he says any musician growing up in New Orleans is shaped by Mardi Gras
New Orleans is shaped by Mardi Gras
New Orleans is shaped by Mardi Gras you’re a leg on the table that helps the
you’re a leg on the table that helps the
you’re a leg on the table that helps the table stand up the music the food the
table stand up the music the food the
table stand up the music the food the people for a young musician you wouldn’t
people for a young musician you wouldn’t
people for a young musician you wouldn’t start playing music because of Mardi
start playing music because of Mardi
start playing music because of Mardi Gras necessarily but if you are a
Gras necessarily but if you are a
Gras necessarily but if you are a musician you will be involved in Mardi
musician you will be involved in Mardi
musician you will be involved in Mardi Gras a certain way
[Music]
[Music] most New Orleans natives say anyone
most New Orleans natives say anyone
most New Orleans natives say anyone hoping to understand Mardi Gras needs to
hoping to understand Mardi Gras needs to
hoping to understand Mardi Gras needs to come back often and stay a while not
come back often and stay a while not
come back often and stay a while not just for one day
just for one day
just for one day [Music]
”
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