Normally in February, the Big Easy would be in full swing celebrating Mardi Gras. But this year, since the traditional parades were canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, people had to find new ways to celebrate.
While tourists and Crescent City locals alike may not have been able to celebrate Mardi Gras 2021 the way they imagined, we've rounded up some interesting facts about this go-to Louisiana destination to help cure those blues.
1. To start, New Orleans is believed to be one of the most haunted cities in America.
2. The Buckner Mansion was featured as Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies in the FX anthology series American Horror Story: Coven.
3. Constructed between 1722 and 1732, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop claims to be "the oldest structure used as a bar in the United States."
4. If you fancy a drink, a variety of iconic cocktails gained popularity after being invented in New Orleans.
5. Preservation Hall usually holds over 350 acoustic concerts each year — it's a true jazz lover's paradise.
6. Marie Laveau, better known as the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, is said to have a tomb at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1.
7. Speaking of tombs, actor Nicolas Cage has actually prepurchased one in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1.
8. The first-ever New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival took place in 1970, and the tradition has continued on ever since.
9. Café Du Monde opened in 1862 and serves hot coffee and sugar-dusted French beignets to customers 24/7.
10. Located in Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral is the oldest continuously used Catholic cathedral in the US.
11. Poker fan? NOLA is thought to be one of the places where modern-day poker was developed.
12. The tradition of eating king cake — a colorful cake with a tiny baby figurine hidden inside — is an absolute must during Mardi Gras season.
13. Best known for penning Interview With the Vampire and The Queen of the Damned, author Anne Rice was born in New Orleans and formerly called the Garden District home.
14. Bourbon Street, one of the most well-known spots in the city, was actually named after the House of Bourbon (the French royal family at the time).
15. The first (recorded) New Orleans Mardi Gras parade took place in 1837.
16. You can thank local dentist Dr. Levi Spear Parmly for the invention of dental floss as we know it.
17. Jazz icon Louis Armstrong is a New Orleans staple: There are two statues in the city honoring him, AND he's the namesake of the airport and a park.
18. Dating back to the mid-1800s, City Park is 1,300 acres and one of the United States' oldest urban parks.
19. If you're craving French-Creole cuisine, you can't go past Antoine's Restaurant, the city's oldest restaurant.
20. Finally, the motto for New Orleans, "Laissez les bon temps rouler," means "Let the good times roll."
What's your favorite thing about New Orleans? Let us know in the comments below!
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