What's Your Mardi Gras IQ?

Finding a plastic baby in a king cake is a tradition associated with Mardi Gras. The person who finds the baby is said to have good luck and is responsible for buying the next king cake. Therefore, the correct answer is to buy the next king cake.

Gemini, the Ark-La-Tex's first publicly parading krewe, gets its name from the twin cities of Shreveport-Bossier City. The name "Gemini" is derived from the astrological sign representing twins, which is fitting for a krewe that is based in the twin cities.

Mardi Gras is determined by Easter because it is always celebrated 47 days before Easter Sunday. Since the date of Easter changes each year, Mardi Gras also falls on a different date each year. The calculation is based on the lunar calendar and the timing of the spring equinox. Therefore, the date of Mardi Gras can vary between February 3 and March 9.

The places where krewe members build and store Mardi Gras floats are called "Dens". This term is commonly used to refer to the workshop or facility where the floats are constructed and kept. It is a specific term associated with Mardi Gras traditions and is used by the members of the krewes, who are responsible for organizing the floats and parades during the festival.

The correct answer is the midpoint of the Texas Street bridge. This is where Ark-La-Tex Mardi Gras krewes gather at midnight on Fat Tuesday to toast the end of the season. The Texas Street bridge is a significant location in Shreveport, and it serves as a central gathering point for this traditional celebration.

The reason why Ark-La-Tex krewe members wear embellished Mardi Gras tuxedo jackets is to identify royalty. These jackets are often adorned with intricate designs and decorations that distinguish the members of the krewe who hold royal titles or positions within the Mardi Gras festivities. By wearing these jackets, the krewe members can easily be recognized as part of the royal court and add an air of regality to the Mardi Gras events.

The Krewe of Gemini has the Northern Hemisphere's largest collection of Mardi Gras costumes on display.

The Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold symbolize justice, faith, and power. These colors have a historical significance and represent the values associated with Mardi Gras celebrations. Justice represents fairness and equality, faith represents spirituality and belief, and power represents strength and authority. These colors are prominently displayed during Mardi Gras festivities, such as parades and parties, to reflect the core values and themes of the event.

In local traditions, krewe queens are known for hosting teas. This suggests that teas are a common and expected event organized by krewe queens. The other options, dances and fashion shows, are not specifically mentioned in relation to krewe queens, making them less likely to be the correct answer.

During Mardi Gras, also known as "Fat Tuesday," it was a tradition to lead a fattened ox through town before cooking and feasting on it. This practice symbolized indulging in rich and fatty foods before the start of Lent, a period of fasting and abstinence. By consuming all the rich foods on Fat Tuesday, people would satisfy their cravings and avoid temptation during the upcoming period of self-restraint.