After a ribald two weeks of beads, booze and breasts, of parades, pomp and performance, New Orleans’ population drops considerably and Bourbon Street and the French Quarter resume their normal hustle and bustle that is the heart of the city the other 351 days of the year. It’s Fat Tuesday, end of Mardi Gras.

The preceding two weeks which culminate with the grandest celebration today are the precursor to the holiest time of year for Christians; the penitential season of Lent. The celebration has its roots long before the American Revolution. Mardi Gras has been celebrated since the Middle Ages and did not make its way to the Americas until March 3, 1699 when French explorer Iberville and his men explored the Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico.

Iberville set up camp on the Mississippi River’s western bank about 60 miles south where New Orleans is today. At the time, March 3 was a major day of celebration in France and Iberville dubbed the site of their encampment as Point du Mardi Gras.

However, Mardi Gras' origins predate the French celebration. Some feel that Mardi Gras began as a circus-like orgy held in mid-February in Rome called Lupercalia. Back when Christians were actively promoting their new religion, church officials realized that it would be difficult to get the early pagans to leave their customs, so they created period of merriment that would serve as a prelude the 40 days of Christian penitence leading up to Easter and the resurrection of Christ.

In New Orleans, the early celebration of Mardi Gras was most often masked revelers on foot, riding in carriages and horseback. It was in 1837, costumed partiers created the first actual parade. However, the celebration became prone to wild abandon and violence. Many in the press called for the celebration to end.

Enter the Cowbellians. The group historically focused on New Year’s Eve parades. They did not want to see Mardi Gras come to an end and formed the Comus group to preserve the tradition.

Comus created the celebration as we have come to know it today, proving that the festival could be celebrated safely with fun and style.