Mardi gras world
Encyclopedia
Mardi Gras World is a tourist attraction in New Orleans, Louisiana. Guests tour the working warehouse where floats are made for Mardi Gras
parades in New Orleans. Mardi Gras World is located on the Mississippi River
next to the Morial Convention Center, and also hosts private parties and corporate events.
History of the Company
In 1947, Blaine Kern, Sr. founded Blaine Kern Artists. Kern came from a family of float builders. H is father, Roy Kern, and sister, Bettie Rae Kern, also being float designers for Mardi Gras
parades. In the 1940s, Blaine Kern painted a mural in a hospital to help pay for his mother's hospital bill. A local surgeon and krewe
captain noticed the talented painter and hired his to create floats for the Krewe of Alla. The hospital mural and Alla floats attracted the attention of another Krewe captain, Darwin Fenner, for the Krewe of Rex. Fenner hired Kern to build floats for Rex and soon business took off, expanding to many other local parades.
Kern also traveled to Europe to learn float building techniques. While in Italy, he was impressed by the extravagant props and animated pieces used in the Carnival celebrations of Viareggio. Kern was able to apply these techniques to turn Mardi Gras into an even grander and more lavish event. Kern was also integral in the formation of the Krewe of Alla and the Krewe of Bacchus
. Over its 65 year history, Blaine Kern Studios has gained international recognition in float building. Parades the company has built outside of New Orleans include parades done for Las Vegas, NV; Mobile, AL; Galveston, TX; Montreal, Canada; and the Universal Studios
Mardi Gras parade.
In 1984, Mardi Gras World was created as a tourist attraction to show visitors a behind-the-scenes look at float building. The company prides itself in bringing Mardi Gras to visitors all year.
A Short Mardi Gras History
In his Mardi Gras Guide, Historian Arthur Hardy
contributes the origins of Mardi Gras to the ancient Bacchanalia
and Saturnalia
rituals of Rome and Greece.
Mardi Gras today draws from the medieval European religious-based celebration of Carnival, the time between Christmas and Lent when both peasants and the nobility were given a chance to break from their labor, feast and generally make merry before the fasting and reflection of the Lenten season.
When France and Spain claimed land in the Americas, they brought their traditions and customs over as well, including Carnival, which was typically celebrated with a feast and ball. In 1852, the Krewe of Cowbellians, a parading group from Mobile, Alabama, formed the Mystic Krewe of Comus and staged a parade with two decorated wagons. The parade was so popular, the next year there were thirty decorated wagons.
After the Civil War, more Krewes were formed and Mardi Gras in New Orleans started to attract the notice of tourists and Mardi Gras changed from being a mostly local celebration to one that is popularly known around the world.
Mardi Gras, Behind the Scenes
Today there are a few float builders in the city of New Orleans. The largest is Kern Studios, the artist side of the company, which works year round to build about 70% of the 50-odd parades that process in the New Orleans area.
Mardi Gras World has opened up their main working warehouse to the public, offering tours daily of the facility. Visitors get a chance to see artists at work, making floats for Mardi Gras. Tours are guided, run about an hour and start every 30 minutes. See the Mardi Gras World website or call 504-361-7821 for details.
References
Links
Mardi Gras World, official website
Mardi Gras World's Facebook Page
Tripadvisor.com, recent reviews of Mardi Gras World
Kern Studios, official website
Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras Guide, official website of Arthur Hardy, Mardi Gras Historian and parade guide
Mardi Gras New Orleans, guide to parades
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
parades in New Orleans. Mardi Gras World is located on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
next to the Morial Convention Center, and also hosts private parties and corporate events.
History of the Company
In 1947, Blaine Kern, Sr. founded Blaine Kern Artists. Kern came from a family of float builders. H is father, Roy Kern, and sister, Bettie Rae Kern, also being float designers for Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
parades. In the 1940s, Blaine Kern painted a mural in a hospital to help pay for his mother's hospital bill. A local surgeon and krewe
Krewe
A krewe is an organization that puts on a parade and or a ball for the Carnival season. The term is best known for its association with New Orleans Mardi Gras, but is also used in other Carnival celebrations around the Gulf of Mexico, such as the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, Florida, and...
captain noticed the talented painter and hired his to create floats for the Krewe of Alla. The hospital mural and Alla floats attracted the attention of another Krewe captain, Darwin Fenner, for the Krewe of Rex. Fenner hired Kern to build floats for Rex and soon business took off, expanding to many other local parades.
Kern also traveled to Europe to learn float building techniques. While in Italy, he was impressed by the extravagant props and animated pieces used in the Carnival celebrations of Viareggio. Kern was able to apply these techniques to turn Mardi Gras into an even grander and more lavish event. Kern was also integral in the formation of the Krewe of Alla and the Krewe of Bacchus
Krewe of Bacchus
The Krewe of Bacchus is an organization that parades during the New Orleans Mardi Gras, on the Sunday evening before Mardi Gras. Bacchus was founded in 1968 by Owen Brennan, Jr. as one of the first modern "superkrewes," defined by their size, spectacular floats, and celebrity riders...
. Over its 65 year history, Blaine Kern Studios has gained international recognition in float building. Parades the company has built outside of New Orleans include parades done for Las Vegas, NV; Mobile, AL; Galveston, TX; Montreal, Canada; and the Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
Mardi Gras parade.
In 1984, Mardi Gras World was created as a tourist attraction to show visitors a behind-the-scenes look at float building. The company prides itself in bringing Mardi Gras to visitors all year.
A Short Mardi Gras History
In his Mardi Gras Guide, Historian Arthur Hardy
Arthur Hardy
Arthur Hardy may refer to:*Arthur Hardy , British actor*Arthur Sturgis Hardy , Canadian premier of Ontario 1896–1899*Arthur Sherburne Hardy , U.S. diplomat and academic...
contributes the origins of Mardi Gras to the ancient Bacchanalia
Bacchanalia
The bacchanalia were wild and mystic festivals of the Greco-Roman god Bacchus , the wine god. The term has since come to describe any form of drunken revelry.-History:...
and Saturnalia
Saturnalia
Saturnalia is an Ancient Roman festival/ celebration held in honour of Saturn , the youngest of the Titans, father of the major gods of the Greeks and Romans, and son of Uranus and Gaia...
rituals of Rome and Greece.
Mardi Gras today draws from the medieval European religious-based celebration of Carnival, the time between Christmas and Lent when both peasants and the nobility were given a chance to break from their labor, feast and generally make merry before the fasting and reflection of the Lenten season.
When France and Spain claimed land in the Americas, they brought their traditions and customs over as well, including Carnival, which was typically celebrated with a feast and ball. In 1852, the Krewe of Cowbellians, a parading group from Mobile, Alabama, formed the Mystic Krewe of Comus and staged a parade with two decorated wagons. The parade was so popular, the next year there were thirty decorated wagons.
After the Civil War, more Krewes were formed and Mardi Gras in New Orleans started to attract the notice of tourists and Mardi Gras changed from being a mostly local celebration to one that is popularly known around the world.
Mardi Gras, Behind the Scenes
Today there are a few float builders in the city of New Orleans. The largest is Kern Studios, the artist side of the company, which works year round to build about 70% of the 50-odd parades that process in the New Orleans area.
Mardi Gras World has opened up their main working warehouse to the public, offering tours daily of the facility. Visitors get a chance to see artists at work, making floats for Mardi Gras. Tours are guided, run about an hour and start every 30 minutes. See the Mardi Gras World website or call 504-361-7821 for details.
References
Links
Mardi Gras World, official website
Mardi Gras World's Facebook Page
Tripadvisor.com, recent reviews of Mardi Gras World
Kern Studios, official website
Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras Guide, official website of Arthur Hardy, Mardi Gras Historian and parade guide
Mardi Gras New Orleans, guide to parades