How to Pick a Theme for a Mardi Gras Parade Float

Mardi Gras dates back to the late 1600s when the French explorers began celebrating a French Holiday. Throughout the years, the residents of New Orleans continued the tradition by adding parades and floats. What makes Mardi Gras one of the best parades in the world is its decorative floats. If you want to have a float in the parade, the first thing you need to do is pick a theme.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Take a trip to New Orleans. If you've never been to Mardi Gras, take some vacation time to watch the parades and join the celebrations. This is one of the best ways to see the different types of floats and give you some ideas for picking a theme for your own float.

2. Look at pictures of Mardi Gras floats. If you're not able to take a trip to New Orleans prior to picking your theme, study some of the floats from previous parades. Choose to use a theme that's already been done and put a new spin on it, or completely design your own distinct float.

3. Use the official colors of Mardi Gras to pick a theme. In 1872 three colors were chosen, which represent the following: purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power.

4. Make a float that sends a positive message. In the late 1980s, before they began recycling programs, over 2,000 tons of trash was picked up from less than 2 weeks of parades. Pick a theme that reminds people to keep the Mardi Gras celebration free of litter.

5. Pick a theme designed around the word "Mardi Gras." When you translate this French word into English, it means "Fat Tuesday." It got this name due to all the feasts that took place on this day.

6. Design a float with a food theme. New Orleans is known for its delicious Cajun food. But people not only want Cajun when they come to The Big Easy, they like their sweets also. So much so, that New Orleans sells over 700,000 cakes a year.