Mardi Gras in Ballynafae, 2001

Mardi Gras, literally "fat Tuesday," the final hedonistic celebration before the Catholic season of Lent, is celebrated with wild abandon in Ballynafae.

Of course, all celebrations are rather wild in Ballynafae. It's one of our most revered traditions.

As in New Orleans' and other Mardi Gras festivals, necklaces are an important part of the celebration.

necklaces outdoors

On Mardi Gras Day 2001, Ballynafae citizens woke to a delightful surprise from the faeries: Glass beads strung on fine black thread, draped on many of our trees, indoors and out.

necklaces indoors

This year, the necklaces are primarily blue, teal, and green colors, and about 25 inches long, unclasped.

necklace, close-up
(click image to see larger)

Our citizens are, of course, delighted to receive these gifts from the faeries, and anticipate more gifts, more celebrations, and more fun in Ballynafae.

We encourage you to visit us for your next holiday!

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Mardi Gras links, if you cannot visit Ballynafae or New Orleans for the partying:

• Countdown to Mardi Gras
• MardiGras.com, with live broadcasts/rebroadcasts.
• MardiGrasNewOrleans.com, similar and glitzy.
• MardiGrasDay.com, commercial but has recipes!
• Rural Mardi Gras celebrations, often with more color and tradition than the publicized parades.

And, if you like Mardi Gras and Voodoo and all that dark & eerie stuff, we recommend Dr. John's recent album, Anutha Zone. Click on that link to find songs you can listen to, online. You'll either love him or wonder why they waste bandwidth on this stuff. *grin and shrug*

(Dr. John is the musician I honored in my Homage to Dr. John collage for the Capolan music card/deck exchange. Yes, he's still alive, we just selected a favorite musician/composer/song for the subject, and he's easily one of my favorites.)