Mardi Gras season is often seen through nightlife and tourism marketing outside of Louisiana, but viral social media from across the state show something different: families setting up along city streets, children catching beads and candy for the first time, and parents or grandparents passing down traditions remembered for generations.

In Louisiana, Mardi Gras is ingrained in the lives of children from a young age. They grow up making shoebox floats, homemade beads, and even participating in children’s Mardi Gras krewes. Across Louisiana, social media posts show families dancing, standing on ladders to catch beads, and cooking along parade routes. Drawing thousands of views, these posts reflect a Mardi Gras that continues to grow year after year.

Mardi Gras has also become a viral sensation across multiple platforms in large part due to Mr. Weatherall. For years he has had many videos go viral of kids, parents, and people from all walks of life dancing and having the time of their lives.

Line dancing is also very popular in Louisiana culture, and Mr. Weatherall has gone so viral, a song and accompanying line dance was created in his honor. The dance itself has gone viral along with other Weatherall videos, creating a trend that transcends many backgrounds, age and race.

Mardi Gras may be a party for many, and that creates many memories in itself, but Mardi Gras goes deeper than just libations and beads. It is rooted in tradition that has been carried on for hundreds of years.

Courir de Mardi Gras, which stands for Fat Tuesday run, was brought to Louisiana in the 19th century, and involves chasing a chicken. Yes, actually chasing a chicken to be cooked in a gumbo later that day. Participants dress from head to toe in traditional costumes. With a capuchon on their heads, and cut up fabrics for shirts and pants, they all gather for one goal: be the one to catch the chicken. This tradition is mainly celebrated in rural Louisiana towns, while modern parades take place on city streets and busy downtown areas.

Whether you chase a chicken on rural roads or party on downtown streets, Mardi Gras in Louisiana will always be a celebration anchored in the tradition of shared experience. From children catching (or throwing) beads for the first time, to families dancing along parade routes, and saving those century-old traditions, the videos shared online are more than just viral trends. They are proof that Mardi Gras continues to connect generations, and while social media brings these traditions to the world, they only survive because of joyful participation year after year.