Mardi Gras and Movies in the Midwest

In celebration of Fat Tuesday, explore the history of Mardi Gras and a few of its 200+ onscreen depictions, including some from Chicago film companies!

In this hour-long program, you will:

• Enjoy a short history of Mardi Gras, including the meaning behind its name, regional and global traditions, associated lawsuits, memes, and marketing.
• Explore movies that depict the famous New Orleans-based celebration, and learn why this annual raucous event has translated well to the silver screen since 1898!
• Compare pączki, a Fat Tuesday pastry common in Chicago and the Midwest, to New Orleans-style king cake, a ring of twisted cinnamon roll-style dough stuffed with cream cheese, praline, or strawberry—and a plastic baby doll.