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The Basics of Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is the biggest celebration in New Orleans, culminating on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Known for its spectacular parades, vibrant costumes, and deep-rooted traditions, this celebration is a bucket-list experience. Why does New Orleans celebrate Mardi Gras? Although it is a Christian holiday now, Mardi Gras is a holiday that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites, according to the New Orleans Social Clubs or Gentlemen's Clubs play a very large part in the Mardi Gras celebration. The oldest is The Boston Club (third oldest in the United States), founded in 1841 as a place for its members to congregate and partake in the fashionable card game of Boston , Rex Royalty is chosen from among its ranks. Mardi Gras is a tradition that dates back thousands of years to pagan celebrations of spring and fertility, Ten years later, the first recorded New Orleans Mardi Gras parade took place, a Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a one to a three-month stretch of the year in which the streets come alive with music, art, and costumed revelers. Beginning on Twelfth Night, January 6, the best season of the year is upon us: king cake, bead-tossing, and parading begins and only increases as we make our way toward Mardi Gras Day. The next Mardi New Orleans comes alive during Mardi Gras in ways that are impossible to capture until you’ve seen it with your own eyes. The vibrant parades, dazzling costumes, and infectious energy create an experience that's truly one-of-a-kind—but, let’s be honest, it can also overwhelm first-timers. Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, which takes place March 4, marks the party’s climax and the end of Carnival Season on the Gulf Coast. The conclusion falls the day before Ash Wednesday and is seen as a final day of feasting and revelry before the solemnity of Lent. Click on the Mardi Gras krewes below for further information about the krewe and to see their usual route for each parade. Please note: Events and activities are subject to change without notice. Stay tuned to the site for further info. Lundi Gras, the day before Mardi Gras, is a celebration in its own right. The Krewe of Red Beans (krewe costumes are made from the city’s iconic legume) marches through the Marigny and Bywater Mardi Gras 2025: Krewe News February 12, 2025. Mardi Gras may be an ancient celebration but there's always something new to discover. As the krewes announce their 2025 themes, throws and celebrity monarchs and riders, we'll post that information here Read More Click on the Mardi Gras krewes below for further information about the krewe and to see their usual route for each parade. Please note: Events and activities are subject to change without notice. Stay tuned to the site for further info. New Orleans was established in 1718 by Bienville. By the 1730s, Mardi Gras was celebrated openly in New Orleans, but not with the parades we know today. In the early 1740s, Louisiana's governor, the Marquis de Vaudreuil, established elegant society balls, which became the model for the New Orleans Mardi Gras balls of today. Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras is more than just a celebration – it’s a cultural phenomenon that captures the spirit of New Orleans like nothing else. From unforgettable parades and live music to rich traditions like King Cake, Krewe balls, and catching throws, every moment is an opportunity to immerse yourself in Carnival. Mardi Gras, New Orleans style, owes as much to Afro-Caribbean customs and the Latin American carnival tradition as it does to the French colonists who established it in their new city. The Mardi Gras celebrations actually last for several weeks. About a month before the main carnival, a season of elaborate balls and parties begins: the official The History of New Orleans Mardi Gras . Although the date of the first organized celebration of Mardi Gras in New Orleans is debatable, the 1730 account of one Marc-Antoine Caillot (a young clerk sent to Louisiana by the French Company of the Indies) mentions a celebration with music and dance, mask-wearing and costumes—including cross-dressing. Mardi Gras History and Traditions Learn about the famed celebration's cultural roots and traditions. Mardi Gras is so much more special when you understand what you’re celebrating and what each tradition means to the generations of parade-goers who have stood on parade routes before you.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
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