Fat Tuesday has Never Been so FAT

By James Sheldon on February 16th, 2010

mardigras It’s Fat Tuesday, and New Orleans is better than ever!

Residents, visitors, Saints players and personnel are still reveling in the recent Super Bowl victory, hopeful that the celebration is of the honeymoon variety, opposed to the dreaded Super Bowl hangover. Sure, there’s a lot of room left for improvement and rebuilding, but this Fat Tuesday is filled with more magic than any that have come before.

With 11 scheduled parades and subsequent parties throughout the New Orleans metropolitan area, there is a bit of craziness and visual spectacle appropriate for all ages. Local celebrants finding their way to Bourbon Street will probably have good cause to sport some ash on their faces tomorrow; however, if there were ever a year in which a few folks skip out on the tradition of Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent to keep on partying, this may be it.

Fat Tuesday is in New Orleans, but it’s a day that offers a little slice of Mardi Gras to anyone who has the desire to party. Chances are, you won’t strut down a local street offering beads for boobs, but on Fat Tuesday, fewer people will fault you for trying. If you want to look authentic, you can fake a King Cake by throwing some purple, green and gold icing or candy toppings on a bundt cake (Louisiana locals, please forgive me for suggesting it). You can also venture to a local watering hole before noon, scream “Fat Tuesday!” and be welcomed by a warm host of alcoholics. Sure, you could probably do that everyday, but today is the day to make it happen.

So, stop counting calories, offer some heart and soul to everyone around, and on this Fat Tuesday, laissez les bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)