Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" and is celebrated on the 47th day before Easter Sunday and the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. At first Mardi Gras was only celebrated with private masked balls by the elite in society. By the 1820's maskers decorated carriages and started the first Mardi Gras parade. In 1857 a group called the Mystik Krewe of Comus had the first modern style Mardi Gras parade with floats lighted by a torchlit parade. In the post American Civil War years (1861-1865) another group Krewe of Rex added a few more contributions to the celebration by introducing the crowning of a King of Carnival. It was this event in 1872 where the King of Carnival, Rex first established the official colors of Mardi Gras. Purple was chosen for justice, green for faith and gold for power. Today these colors are recognized as the official colors of Mardi Gras, "The Greatest Party on Earth," attracts many Americans as well as tourists to come and celebrate the festivities.
