It’s Mardi Gras! In the Christian tradition, this is the last night of splurging before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season begins tomorrow on Ash Wednesday. Assuming that you won’t be able to make it down to Bourbon Street to celebrate, we’ve rounded up some photos from festivities around the world. Be warned: This isn’t your typical drunk girl flashing their boobs for beads fare — some of it’s a lot more shocking than that.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans some time between 1925 and 1930, via Genteel Poverty’s photostream
Mardi Gras in New Orleans around 1950, via The Nite Tripper’s photostream
Mardi Gras 2003 in New Orleans, via monoglot’s photostream
Mardi Gras 2006 in New Orleans, via dsb nola’s photostream
Mardi Gras 2008 in New Orleans, via Ed Newman’s photostream
Mardi Gras 2009 in New Orleans, via philippe leroyer’s photostream
The Carnival of Venice 2009, via werner boehm’s photostream
Mardi Gras 2007 in St. Louis, Missouri, via ★keaggy.com’s photostream
Mardi Gras in Coney Island between 1910 and 1915, via The Library of Congress’s photostream