![](http://www.alamy.com/thumbs/6/B22633BA-E0A6-489E-8B35-C96DA6E6F228/CBWBCK.jpg)
French Quarter Courtyard decorated sign at Universal Studios Orlando annual Mardi Gras celebration, Florida
The terms "Mardi Gras" ( /ˈmɑrdiɡrɑː/), "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season",[1][2][3][4][5] in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday; in the Anglican tradition, the day is referred to as Shrove Tuesday, from the word shrive, meaning "confess."[6] Related popular practices are associated with celebrations before the fasting and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent. Popular practices include wearing masks and costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, sports competitions, parades, etc. Similar expressions to Mardi Gras appear in other European languages sharing the Christian tradition. In English, the day is called Shrove Tuesday, associated with the religious requirement for confession before Lent begins.
Size: 3650px × 2418px
Location: Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Orlando, Florida, USA North America
Photo credit: © M. Timothy O'Keefe / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: amusement, annual, attraction, blue, celebration, courtyard, decorated, fl, florida, french, gras, holidays, horizonjtal, mardi, negative, okeefe, open, orlando, outdoors, park, quarter, resort, sign, sky, space, studios, sunny, theme, tim, timothy, tourism, tourist, travel, universal, vacations, wop