Q: Why is Mardi Gras [Known as Carnival in Latin & South America]a big deal? A: Because Mardi Gras [Fat Tuesday] is the day before Ash Wednesday and in the Roman Catholic Tradition it is the last day to "party and pig out" before the Lenten Season of sacrifice and fasting that ends on Easter Sunday [when the partying can begin again!] Note: Louisiana Legend: The town of Parks, La. was supposedly given that name by a railroad engineer who stopped at the present-day site on Easter Sunday and asked the Acadians the name of the place. They were celebrating Easter and thought that he was asking "what is going on" and answered "C'est Paques" or it's Easter. He translated Paques into Parks! Although New Orleans is best known for Mardi Gras, there are major celebrations through-out Louisiana, in Mobile, Alabama [claims to have the oldest Mardi Gras celebration], Biloxi, Ms., Galveston, Tx, numerous other US sites and Carnival in Latin and South America. Stanley LeBlanc www.thecajuns.com