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Mardi Gras Mask Craft – Free Printable – Baton Rouge Family Fun

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From eye-obscuring tie-ons to full-face numbers that resemble a jester’s getup, Mardi Gras masks are one of the traditions partly inspired by the customs of the Carnival of Venice. In the early days of the festival, masks worn during Mardi Gras allowed wearers to escape society and class constraints.

FUN FACT: Did you know that Mask use is regulated by Louisiana law? It’s actually illegal to wear them, and one of the few exceptions is for Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras Mask Craft

Supplies:

  • Printable Mardi Gras masks
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Sequins
  • Feathers
  • Paper straws
  • Instructions:

Print masks on card stock and cut out around the outer edge. Cut out eye holes.
Click here for Mardi Gras Masks Printable

Mardi Gras Mask Craft

Glue sequins on the front of the mask.

Mardi Gras Mask Craft

When the glue has dried on the front, glue feathers to the back of one side of the mask and attach a paper straw to the back of the mask as a handle.

Mardi Gras Mask Craft

 

Check out our full Mardi Gras Guide for more Mardi Gras Family Fun, King Cake Guides, and more!

Family Friendly Mardi Gras

 

Easy Boudin King Cake – Mardi Gras Recipe (Video)

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I’m Jennifer Oster, local Baton Rouge Mom and business owner. My husband and I love to cook, and we recently started a YouTube channel to share our passion for cooking with the world! Our specialty is Louisiana/Cajun/local food.  This Easy Boudin King Cake is always a hit during Mardi Gras season; it’s stuffed with boudin, pepper jack cheese, and topped with pepper jelly, green onions, and bacon. To save time, this recipe uses pre-made dough! It looks impressive, but it’s a super easy recipe.
Traditionally, boudin (pronounced BOO-DAN, not BOO-DEN) is made with ground pork, rice, onion, green peppers, and Cajun spices and seasonings, left to the boudin creator’s own devices.
I hope you enjoy this savory pastry that marries two Bayou State classics.

Easy Boudin King Cake – Mardi Gras Recipe

Easy Boudin King Cake - Mardi Gras Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cans crescent roll dough
  •  1 pound boudin, de-cased and cooked until warm
  • About 4 ounces (half of a block) pepper jack cheese
  • 4-5Green onions
  • 4-5 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon
  • Pepper jelly

Instructions

Arrange dough on a greased baking pan in the shape of an oval. Fill the ring with cooked boudin and top with slices of cheese. Roll the sides to form the ring and pinch together. Bake at 375 for 12-20 minutes, until golden brown, then, top with pepper jelly, green onions, bacon, and bake another few minutes until pepper jelly is semi-melted. Serve warm. It can be refrigerated and reheated!
Easy Boudin King Cake – Mardi Gras Recipe
This would be a great recipe to make with kids! If you decide to try your hand at it, please be sure to tag us so we can see your masterpiece! Use the Hashtag #BRFamilyFun and tag us on Facebook and Instagram!

Visit the Oster Adventures YouTube channel for more recipes! 

Be sure to check out Baton Rouge Family Fun’s 2023 King Cake Guide here!

Check out our full Mardi Gras Guide for more Mardi Gras Family Fun, King Cake Guides, and more!

Family Friendly Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras Activity Book – Free Printable – Baton Rouge Family Fun

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Our Mardi Gras Activity Book has every element that makes Mardi Gras fun: trumpets, music, drums, jester hats, king cake, confetti, masks, and more! These 16 worksheets will help preschoolers, kindergarteners, and beyond develop early learning skills with ABCs, numbers, shapes, fine motor skills, handwriting, educational games, and more.

Mardi Gras Activity Book

Mardi Gras Activity Book

Mardi Gras Activity Book – What’s included:

16 Pages

  • Flashcards / Memory Game
  • Mardi Gras, I  Spy
  • Trace the Letters
  • Trace the Numbers
  • Mardi Gras King Maze Game
  • Match the shapes
  • Count and Trace
  • Mardi Gras Words
  • Cutting Practice
  • Trace the Lines
  • Trace the shapes
  • Which is Bigger

Get instant access to our Free Mardi Gras Activity Book Printable – 16 pages of Mardi Gras Fun! 

Please check your Junk Folder for the link
to download the Activity Book!

Mardi Gras History & Facts

What Is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday that’s celebrated the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the day that begins the Christian season called Lent. During this season, which lasts until Easter Sunday, Christians are supposed to give up bad habits or fast from certain foods. Mardi Gras literally means ‘Fat Tuesday’ in French. It is a day (and night) to live it up and enjoy one last day of fun before the discipline of Lent.

History

Originally celebrated in medieval Europe, particularly Italy and France, Mardi Gras was declared a legal holiday in Louisiana in 1875. The first record of a Mardi Gras celebration in the United States is from the early 1700s. Celebrations took place in New Orleans and were more like fancy balls or dances. The carnival atmosphere did not occur until later in the 1700s. The first parades began in the 1800s, and the parade king became a regular symbol of the festivities.

Symbols & Colors

There are many famous symbols that represent this exciting holiday. Many people enjoy a king cake, a sugary dessert that has a plastic baby baked inside. According to tradition, the person who gets the piece of cake with the baby inside will have good luck and prosperity.

The beads in Mardi Gras necklaces are often made in the official Mardi Gras colors of gold, representing power; purple symbolizes justice; and green, which represents faith. You may see people wearing masks in these colors as well.

Why is Early Learning important?

Simply put, a child’s early years lay the foundation for all that is to come. In recent years, researchers have learned that the human brain develops the vast majority of its neurons and is most receptive to learning between birth and three years of age. In fact, the intake of new information is critical to the formation of active neural pathways (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000).

Early education can play a critical role during this important developmental period. Research linking early intervention to both cognitive and socio-emotional gains has fueled the proliferation of early childhood programs since the early part of the twentieth century. The last four decades, in particular, have produced many new practices and principles for use with young children. 

Source: study.com

Check out our full Mardi Gras Guide for more Mardi Gras Family Fun, King Cake Guides, and more!

Family Friendly Mardi Gras

Family Friendly Mardi Gras Guide – Baton Rouge and Beyond

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Contrary to popular belief, Mardi Gras can be a Family Friendly event, especially in Baton Rouge and surrounding areas. The festival seems like it was made for children, with creative floats, costumes and masks, bold colors, and joyous music. Not to mention, the beads, doubloons, and other treats thrown to the crowds from the floats are a child’s delight.

Below you’ll find a round-up of Family Friendly Mardi Gras resources: Schedules, recipes, crafts, and more! Check back often as we update this page throughout the Mardi Gras season. 

Family Friendly Mardi Gras

Family Friendly Mardi Gras Parades

Family Friendly Mardi Gras

Your guide to King Cakes in Baton Rouge & Beyond

 

Mardi Gras Activity Book – Free Printable Mardi Gras Activity Book

Mardi Gras Mask Craft 

Gluten-Free King Cake Recipe – Baton Rouge Family Fun

Gluten Free King Cake Recipe

Easy Boudin King Cake – Mardi Gras Recipe (Video)

Easy Boudin King Cake - Mardi Gras Recipe

Holly Clegg’s Kid-Friendly Easy Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe

Floats in the Oaks – Drive-thru Carnival attraction in City Park

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With no Mardi Gras parades, Louisiana has had to get creative in an effort to not give up our most celebrated Louisiana holiday. This year, the floats are parked. First, House Floats and now we have ‘Floats in the Oaks’, a once in a lifetime opportunity for visitors to view iconic floats from various Mardi Gras krewes all in one place and it will give our region the opportunity to experience a part of Mardi Gras during this historic year. Families can safely participate in a parade-type event, by viewing stationery floats from their cars. Participants are encouraged to wear Mardi Gras costumes and decorate their cars.

Floats in the Oaks

Krewes: Rex, Zulu, Bacchus, Hermes, Thoth, King Arthur, Argus, Alla, Morpheus, Iris, Pygmalion, Mid City, Tucks, Femme Fatale, Babylon, Proteus, Centurions, Druids, Carrollton. Kern Studios, Rizzuto and Company, Ducote Designs, and PFJ Floats will assist with the transportation of parade units. More ‘Floats in the Oaks’ krewe are being added daily!

When:
Thursday, February 4th through Sunday, February 14th
Weekdays 5pm -10pm and Weekends 1pm – 10pm

Where:
2 Friederich Ave. New Orleans 70124 :: Click here for a map to find the entrance. (There is only one entrance, turn off Wisner to enter the line for the driving tour event)

Pricing:
Tickets for ‘Floats in the Oaks’ and Add-On experiences are limited and all tickets must be purchased in advance and online only.
Saturday – Sunday: 1 pm to 5 pm – $10 per car
Monday – Sunday: 5pm to 10 pm – $20 per car
Grandstand Experience Add-On – $15 per person
Park Parade Pack – $12 (pack made for 2 people)

Floats will be lit up at nighttime. Vehicle height cannot exceed 11 feet. No limos, mini-buses, bikes, or pedestrians are allowed on the route. 8 people per vehicle. Everyone participating must be in a seatbelt.

Tickets on sale now: Click here to purchase tickets 

 

Shannon’s Sugah Shack – Mardi Gras Family Pack Giveaway

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Bienvenue to a brand new Baton Rouge petite boulangerie, Shannon’s Sugah Shack! Shannon is a scratch-made, home cook that has been selling baked goods solely to friends family (and their businesses) since 1984. After much encouragement, support, and a little coaxing from family and friends, she finally launched her petite boulangerie!

Shannon’s Sugah Shack

Specializing in decorative cookies, cupcakes, decadent cookies, cocoa bombs, southern desserts, and cakes, you can trust Shannon with your future baking needs. You can message her with any questions or orders on her Facebook page here. 

Shannon’s Sugah Shack

To kick off her new business and introduce herself to the community, Shannon wanted to partner with us to host a Mardi Gras Family Pack giveaway of her specialty Mardi Gas cookies and cocoa bombs! 

Shannon’s Sugah Shack Mardi Gras Family Pack Giveaway

Shannon’s Sugah Shack

To Enter: Simply fill out the Rafflecopter Widget form below. Remember to comment on Facebook OR Instagram!

Other: Entrants must be 18 years or older at the time of entering the giveaway. Entrants must be local. The winner will be selected at random and notified via the email that was submitted or via social media. Winner must respond within 48 hours to claim their prize, or another winner will be chosen. Giveaway ends January 22nd at 11:59 pm (CST)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out Baton Rouge Family Fun’s 2021 King Cake Guide here! 

Disclosure: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated BRFF via a cash payment, gift, or giveaway. Opinions expressed herein are that of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of the sponsor.