Mardi Gras, which literally means "Fat Tuesday," is a French Catholic festival.  It is a custom of eating fatty food before fasting on Ash Wednesday, which begins 45 days before Easter. Besides enjoying delicious food, on that day people also wear masks and costumes. The US is a multi-ethnic country, and thus Mardi Gras is celebrated by the descendants of French immigrants. However, in the US the day varies from city to city, and thus the event is not necessarily on Tuesday. Needless to say, the biggest Mardi Gras is in the French Quarter of New Orleans. In Los Angeles Mardi Gras coincides with the Chinese New Year Eve in 2013.

by Alex Yu 2013