The Mardi Gras au Coeur de la Louisianne (Mardi Gras in the Heart of Central Louisiana) spirit has really taken hold of Central Louisiana since the first parade was held in 1994. 

 

Alexandria's Mardi Gras has grown from a total of ten floats and participation of four Mardi Gras Krewes to twenty-two floats and 15 Mardi Gras Krewes. Parade attendance is now estimated at 120,000, and the Saturday morning Children's parade attendance in downtown Alexandria is estimated at 25,000. 

 

• Mardi Gras is always scheduled 47 days before Easter (the 40 days of Lent, plus seven Sundays.)
• In 1857, the first krewe was organized. The Comus organization coined the word "Krewe" and established several Mardi Gras traditions: forming a secret Carnival society, choosing a mythological namesake, presenting a theme parade with floats.
• In 1872, Rex, the King of Carnival, selected the official colors of Mardi Gras: Purple, Gold, and Green Rex assigned a meaning to each in his 1892 parade, entitled Symbolism of Colors.
• Purple represents Justice
• Green stands for Faith
• Gold signifies Power
• The colorful worlds of Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology are the sources for many krewe names.
• A visit from the Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff was the partial inspiration for the first appearance of Rex in 1872. The King of Carnival immediately became the International symbol of Mardi Gras.
• The final year of the past century (1899) saw snow in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday, which fell on St. Valentine's Day. Legend has it that Rex paraded with a frozen mustache.
• Alexandria Mardi Gras Association was formed in 1994 by a group of local business people, headed by attorney Michael Tudor.
• Parade participants pay for 85% of the cost of the Alexandria Mardi Gras Krewe Parade.
• The tradition of celebrating Alexandria's Mardi Gras on Sunday was determined because it is the only day the Mardi Gras floats are available & will not conflict with other parades.
• The Alexandria Mardi Gras Association's official posters and t-shirts always have a Mardi Gras reveler located somewhere in the picture.