60+ Mardi Gras Trivia Questions and Answers to Fuel Your Brain This Fat Tuesday

Mardi Gras is a blast, but its origins and even its current celebrations are wrapped in a bit of mystery—masks, anyone? While some of the traditions are super famous, like king cake , beads, jazz and parades in New Orleans, there's a lot about Mardi Gras you may not know! These Mardi Gras trivia questions and answerswill impress your pals and enlighten you on some of the fun and history behind Fat Tuesday.

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61 Mardi Gras Trivia Questions and Answers

1. Question:What is the day before Mardi Gras called?
Answer:Lundi Gras

2. Question: What day comes after Mardi Gras?
Answer:Ash Wednesday

3. Question: Where was the first known carnival celebration?
Answer:Nice, France

4. Question: What famous father and son were each crowned King Bacchus at New Orleans Mardi Gras?
Answer:Alan Thicke and Robin Thicke

5. Question: When was the earliest known carnival celebration?
Answer:1294

6. Question: What is the signature Mardi Gras dessert?
Answer:King cake

7. Question: What is traditionally hidden inside a king cake?
Answer:A plastic baby

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8. Question: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, when was the most recent cancellation of New Orleans' Mardi Gras parades?
Answer: 1945

9. Question: A man dressed as whom was credited with popularizing throwing beads during Mardi Gras?
Answer: Santa Claus

10. Question: What are the groups that organize New Orleans Mardi Gras parades called?
Answer:Krewes

11. Question: What was the first all-female New Orleans Mardi Gras krewe?
Answer:The Krewe of Venus

12. Question: Bacchus is the Roman god of what?
Answer:Wine

13. Question: What states recognize Fat Tuesday as a holiday?
Answer:Louisiana, Florida and Alabama

14. Question: What is Mardi Gras called in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada?
Answer:Shrove Tuesday

15. Question: What is the most popular food for Shrove Tuesday?
Answer:Pancakes

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16. Question: How many king cakes are sold during an average carnival season?
Answer:500,000

17. Question:What time does New Orleans law require masks to be removed on Mardi Gras?
Answer:6 p.m.

18. Question: How many pounds of beads are thrown during an average New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration?
Answer:25 million

19. Question: What is the most popular Mardi Gras saying?
Answer:"Laissez les bon temps rouler."

20. Question: What song is the anthem of Mardi Gras in New Orleans?
Answer:"If I Cease to Love"

21. Question: What does purple signify during Mardi Gras?
Answer:Justice

22. Question:What does green signify during Mardi Gras?
Answer:Faith

23. Question:What does gold signify during Mardi Gras?
Answer:Power

24. Question: What foreign ruler was honored as the King of Carnival?
Answer:Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff

25. Question: When was the first known New Orleans Mardi Gras parade?
Answer:1837

26. Question: When were floats first introduced to New Orleans Mardi Gras parades?
Answer:1857

27. Question: On average, how many people typically visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras every year?
Answer:1.4 million

28. Question: What is the oldest African American krewe in New Orleans?
Answer:The Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club (Krewe of Zulu)

30. Question: How many times have Mardi Gras parades been canceled in New Orleans?
Answer:13

31. Question: New Orleans canceled Mardi Gras parades in the 1870s due to the outbreak of what disease?
Answer:Yellow fever

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32. Question: Mardi Gras beads used to be made of what material?
Answer:Glass

33. Question: What is the traditional phrase used to request beads during Mardi Gras?
Answer:"Throw me something, mister!"

34. Question: When did Louisiana declare Fat Tuesday a state holiday?
Answer:1875

35. Question: The Krewe of Zulu tosses what coveted Mardi Gras trinket during their New Orleans parade each year?
Answer:A golden coconut

36. Question: Who is credited with coming up with the official Mardi Gras colors and anthem?
Answer:The Krewe of Rex

37. Question: What day kicks off carnival celebrations each year?
Answer: The Epiphany (Three Kings Day)

38. Question: "Carnival" comes from the Latin phrase "carne vale," which means what?
Answer:"Farewell to meat"

39. Question: Where was the first Mardi Gras parade in the United States?
Answer:Mobile, Alabama

40. Question: Which on-screen Batman was King Bacchus?
Answer: Michael Keaton

41. Question: Which Italian city is famous for its carnival celebrations?
Answer:Venice

42. Question: Which all-female krewe is named after the daughters of Zeus?
Answer:The Krewe of Muses

43. Question: "If I Cease to Love" was featured in what musical?
Answer: Bluebeard

44. Question: Which Krewe has a  Star Wars theme?
Answer:The Krewe of Chewbacchus

45. Question: Which Krewe's parade was the first to roll in New Orleans' first Mardi Gras after Hurricane Katrina?
Answer:Krewe du Vieux

46. Question: Which krewe opted to stop their parades rather than racially integrate their ranks?
Answer:The Kreme of Comus

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47. Question: In which year did Mardi Gras move its New Orleans celebration dates to not interfere with the Super Bowl?
Answer:2013

48. Question: Mardi Gras may have links to what Roman celebrations?
Answer:Lupercalia and Saturnalia

49. Question: King cake is typically made with what sort of dough?
Answer:Brioche

50. Question: Special coins thrown during Mardi Gras parades are called what?
Answer:Doubloons

51. Question: The average float rider in New Orleans spends how much for their costume, beads and other souvenirs for Mardi Gras?
Answer:$500

52. Question: The success of a Mardi Gras parade is measured in what?
Answer:Trash

53. Question: Early Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile, Alabama, featured what kind of animal?
Answer:Bull

54. Question: Ivrea, Italy, marks Mardi Gras celebrations with a battle of which famous fruit?
Answer:Oranges

55. Question: Germany starts their carnival season at what time on what day?
Answer:Nov. 11 at 11:11 a.m.

56. Question: The Krewe of Tucks famously rides in a float shaped like what?
Answer:A toilet bowl

57. Question:Germany traditionally marks which day before post-carnival fasting as "Greasy?"
Answer:Thursday

58. Question: If you get the baby in your slice of king cake at a Mardi Gras party, you traditionally have to what?
Answer:Buy next year's cake or host next year's party

59. Question: Which NFL quarterback served as King Bacchus in New Orleans Mardi Gras?
Answer:Drew Brees

60. Question: When was Mardi Gras first declared a holiday in general?
Answer:1582

61. Question: After Mardi Gras parades were canceled for 2021 in New Orleans, what did krewes decorate instead of floats?
Answer:Houses

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