{Mardi Gras} Infographic

*Click to Enlarge* Photo found no link back, this does not belong to Raised Southern.

Mardi Gras - Betcha Didn't Know

-1.2 Million people attended Mardi Gras festivities last year - 3.5 times the population of New Orleans.

-Hotels take in $56 Million over the 12 days. Prices for a double room on Bourbon Street increase 151% over any other time during the year.

-The City of New Orleans spends $3.33 Million on Mardi Gras each year. It sees a return of $4.48 for every public dollar spent. 

-There are 3,000 bars in New Orleans. The hurricane is considered the cocktail of Mardi Gras: Here's the Recipe:

4oz. Light & Dark Rum, 2oz. Passion Fruit Juise, 1 oz.Orange Juice, 1/2oz. Lime Juice, and 1/2oz. Grenadine

-Haydel's bakery sells 57,000 yellow, green, and purple king cakes-baked with a plastic doll inside - during Mardi Gras.. That's enough to give 2 Million people or all of Slovenia a slice. 

-In 2010 Haydel's baked the worlds LARGEST King Cake: It wrapped around the Louisiana Superdome Twice and fed 6,000 folks. 

-Alcohol sales spike $2.6 Million during the festivities. that's roughly 92, 890 bonus bottles of Southern Comfort. 

-In 154 years, Mardi Gras celebrations have been canceled 13 times - for among other reasons, a Yellow-Feber epidemic and riots during the Reconstruction - but not after Hurricane Katrina. 

-7 out of 10 Americans polled in 2009 said they support making Mardi Gras A National Holiday .
{Do you? It's already a holiday down here and the kids get 2 days out of school}

-700,000 people partied at the post-Katrina Mardi Gras, the only year corporate sponsorship was allowed. Glad donated 2,100 boxes of trash bags. 

-For every 1 women who participates in the "flashing" ritual for beads, there are 10 men with video cameras ready to record it. Girls Gone Wild has 6 films dedicated to Mardi Gras.
{Not Classy Ladies, just go buy some BIG beads on Bourbon St. your there anyways and your spending money. Give you some beads and save your goodies for the bedroom}

-The Endymion and Bacchus super parades feature 75 floats and 60 Marching Bands. 2,300 members toss 1.5 million plastic cups, 2.5 million doubloons, and 200,000 beads to parade bystanders. 

-Mardi Gras kicks off 59 days before Easter. The 12 day party includes 87 parades put on by 54 different krewes.