The Queen's Essay:
Mardi Gras is not just a French-originated religious holiday but it’s the trumpets in the streets, beads on your neck, smells of beignets coming from the French Quarter, the spice of Creole seasonings, and excitement as people in costumes dance down the streets in parades. Mardi Gras is not only the tradition of the festival, but the excitement and ambiance of the festivities with the event. Mardi Gras coming to Suffolk is an opportunity for a new flavor of life in a small city miles away from New Orleans. The tradition of Mardi Gras much like Peanut Fest, has been around for a long time. The tradition has grown over multiple centuries from a celebration in France to a worldwide jubilee. The parades, costumes, colors, food, music, and art make Mardi Gras special. The famous Mardi Gras colors, purple, green, and gold stand for justice, faith, and power and can be seen in all décor of the festival. With Suffolk’s peanut being our most successful crop, it has become a symbol of our city, inspiring the theme of the Peanut Fest and becoming Suffolk’s mascot. Much like our Suffolk peanut, which depicts and highlights our successes and celebration of agriculture, the colors have become a representation of Mardi Gras. |