Trinity Students Reminisce About Mardi Gras Traditions

Louisiana natives share the community spirit and cultural significance of the New Orleans festival.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Mardi Gras season recently came to a close, leaving Trinity students from Louisiana missing the lively celebrations back home. Students described the festival's focus on community, with neighborhoods coming together for parades, music, costumes, and shared meals. They also highlighted the cultural importance of the Mardi Gras Indians, who create elaborate suits inspired by Native chieftain regalia to represent strength and history in the Black community. While Mardi Gras is often seen as just a party, the Trinity students emphasized its deeper roots in Louisiana pride and tradition.

Why it matters

Mardi Gras is a significant cultural event in Louisiana that brings communities together through shared traditions, music, and celebration. For Trinity students from the state, the festival's absence on campus highlights the distance from their home and the unique sense of community they experience during Mardi Gras.

The details

Trinity students from Louisiana, like sophomore communication major Kennedi Heim and first-year undecided major Erin Johnson, shared their memories of Mardi Gras. They described the parades, block parties, and families gathering on their lawns to enjoy the festivities. Johnson even had her family send her Mardi Gras throws, like beads and stuffed animals, to help her celebrate from afar. The students also discussed the cultural significance of the Mardi Gras Indians, who create elaborate costumes to represent the strength and history of the Black community in Louisiana.

  • The Mardi Gras season came to a close on February 17, 2026.
  • Ash Wednesday on February 18, 2026 ended the Mardi Gras festivities.

The players

Kennedi Heim

A sophomore communication major at Trinity University who is from New Orleans.

Erin Johnson

A first-year undecided major at Trinity University who is from New Orleans.

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What they’re saying

“You will never go anywhere and see everyone at peace or see such a strong community of people until you go to Mardi Gras.”

— Kennedi Heim, Sophomore communication major (trinitonian.com)

“When I was a kid, I wanted stuffed animals, so I wrote 'Stuffies' really big, and then someone would put me on their shoulders and hold up the sign. We would get piles of stuffed animals. I just love having a sign because it helps you connect with each person better.”

— Erin Johnson, First-year undecided major (trinitonian.com)

The takeaway

Mardi Gras is more than just a party in New Orleans - it's a deeply rooted community tradition that brings people together through shared culture, music, and celebration. For Trinity students from Louisiana, the absence of Mardi Gras on campus highlights the unique sense of pride and connection they feel to their home state.