Why Mardi Gras Must Go On:

1966 – Just after Hurricane Betsy, another horribly deadly hurricane took many lives, Bourbon Street was reported "topping all previous records."

1906 – Yellow Fever killed 437 people, the first epidemic of its kind in 25 years, Carnival continued, floats, balls, and marching military bands.

1862 – Soldiers of the Confederacy from New Orleans, both black and white, threw a Mardi Gras party during its campaign in Virginia, with young soldiers dressed as tranies.

1950 – With the onset of the Korean War, instead of honoring Rex as the king of Carnival, it was "King Patria" a Korean War Marine vet and his queen, a corporal in the Women's Army Corps Reserve.

"It's had floods, it's had hurricanes, yellow fever, fires, hot summers. But by the time you get to Mardi Gras, everything has calmed down and eased off. It's time to party." – John Magill, curator of the Historic New Orleans Collection.

[ GRANTED - I do personally believe (not to get you unmotivated for this glorious time) it must be noted that only 14 years ago, 1992, "two of the oldest and most revered Carnival organizations stopped parading... after a city ordinance forced them to open membership up to minorities." –this phenomenon does continue, but primarily only in the "balls" and highly exclusive dinner parties of a select few. ]

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