First Posted: 2/12/2015

EXETER — St. Barbara’s Parish celebrated Fat Tuesday a little early this year.

The parish hosted its third annual Mardi Gras celebration on Saturday, Feb. 7 in the parish hall. Parishioners, family and friends gathered for a buffet-style meal, drinks and plenty of dancing.

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, refers to celebrations beginning on or after King’s Day and culminating the day before Ash Wednesday. It reflects the practice of eating rich, fatty foods before the Lenten season.

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One of the event’s organizers, Barbara Russo, said the tradition began in 2012 with the purpose of bringing people together for a fun time.