The Krewe of Venus is no longer. I couldn't find anything on its demise, but I do know it no longer exists. Krewe of Muses is newer all-women-krewe.


This is an excerpt from Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras guide:

"But Mardi Gras’ roots predate the French. Many see a relationship to the ancient tribal rituals of fertility that welcomed the arrival of Spring. A possible ancestor of the celebration was the Lupercalia, a circus-like orgy held in mid-February in Rome. The early Church fathers, realizing that it was impossible to divorce their new converts from their pagan customs, decided instead to direct them into Christian channels. Thus Carnival was created as a period of merriment that would serve as a prelude to the penitential season of Lent.

In the late 1700s pre-Lenten balls and fetes were held in New Orleans. Under French rule masked balls flourished, but were later banned by the Spanish governors. The prohibition continued when New Orleans became an American city in 1803, but by 1823, the Creole populace prevailed upon the American governor, and balls were again permitted. Four years later street masking was officially made legal."

For more:

http://www.mardigrasguide.com/history/

http://www.mardigrasguide.com/

Q&A:

http://www.mardigrasguide.com/qa/

The date for Mardi Gras is the day before Lent begins. So it varies according to when Easter falls. The Carnival season kicks off on January 6th, Twelfth Night. Parades gear up two weekends before Mardi Gras. The schedule was consolidated following Katrina. The 2009 schedule (just past) is here with profiles on the krewes:

http://www.mardigrasguide.com/calendar/


Mobile has a Mardi Gras celebration as well:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090218114920AA1ea4V