WWOZ broadcasts to New Orleans, but almost a million people around the world check out our internet stream every year. We reach listeners in over 190 countries, which is unusual for a community radio station.

We run computer reports sometimes that show us where those streaming listeners are. In a normal week, we have about 1300 listeners in Germany, and close to 600 in Japan, for example.

And usually we have close to 100 unique listeners streaming WWOZ from Ukraine.

We checked earlier today, and throughout the last week there were only eight listeners streaming WWOZ from Ukraine. But those eight listeners are managing to stay online for about a half an hour at a time-- we can tell that from the reports.

We don't know who they are, or even exactly where they are but if they're sticking with WWOZ during everything that's going on, they must be dedicated to this music. And it's good to know we can still bring them the music of Mardi Gras.

So wherever you might be, in New Orleans or around the world -- but especially to the eight Guardians of the Groove able to stick with us in Ukraine, if you're listening now -- we want to wish you Щасливого Mardi Gras, from New Orleans and WWOZ. (Sorry if the translation is off, no one here speaks Ukrainian and we're going off Google Translate).

For the non-Ukrainians, take a moment to learn about an important cultural moment in Ukraine: it's a different time of year and a different celebration, but the festivities around the Ukrainian holiday Malanka are similar to how we celebrate Mardi Gras here in Louisiana. Learn more about the parades, elaborate costumes, rich food and drinks, and music that are shared in Ukraine each January at this link.