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The first use of the words "Mardi Gras" in Louisiana was in 1699, when Pierre le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville, named a bend in the river "Pointe du Mardi Gras," in honor of that year's Fat Tuesday. However, Carnival was rarely celebrated in the new colony—the early people of the Big Easy found life in the mud-caked huts and thatched roofs of New 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. Mardi Gras Dates New Orleans’ BIG annual event, Mardi Gras, is always the day before Ash Wednesday which itself is always forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays). But to simplify matters for carnival historians–and for those eager to partake in the revelries to come–here is a list of dates for Mardi Gras celebrations back to 1947 as well as for the years through 2050. Pass a good Mardi Gras Past and Present Traditions from the past that live on today. Mardi Gras has been celebrated in New Orleans since the explorer Iberville first set foot here on Mardi Gras Day 1699. In French colonial days, wealthy members of Creole society threw lavish Mardi Gras balls from Twelfth Night (Jan. 6) to Fat Tuesday Eve. After a weekslong pre-Lenten bash—complete with elaborate parades that meander through New Orleans, shimmery beads tossed from floats, streets lined with costumed revelers, lavish balls, and seafood boils—Louisiana’s 2025 Carnival Season is approaching its grand conclusion. Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, which takes place March 4, marks the party’s climax and the end of Carnival [] FILE - Mardi Gras revelers greet a float from the Zulu parade at the corner of St. Charles and Canal Streets in New Orleans, La., on Mardi Gras day Tuesday, Feb. 11, 1997. The origins of Mardi Gras can be traced to medieval Europe, passing through Rome and Venice in the 17th and 18th centuries to the French House of the Bourbons.From here, the traditional revelry of "Boeuf Gras," or fatted calf, followed France to her colonies. Mardi Gras is a tradition that dates back thousands of years to pagan celebrations of spring and fertility, including the raucous Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Lupercalia. A look at Louisiana's Mardi Gras festivities through the years • Feb. 27, 2025, 2:51 PM ET (AP) (Show more) As Mardi Gras approaches in New Orleans, maskers and parades take center stage • Feb. 27, 2025, 7:57 AM ET (AP) The float carrying Rex, King of Carnival, squeezes through a massive crowd in New Orleans during the parade which highlights Mardi Gras season, Feb. 22, 1966. About 1 million of Rex’s fans were reported on hand to wave at the passing monarch during a Mardi Gras that came only six months after Hurricane Betsy flooded much of New Orleans. FILE - Mardi Gras revelers greet a float from the Zulu parade at the corner of St. Charles and Canal Streets in New Orleans, La., on Mardi Gras day Tuesday, Feb. 11, 1997. (AP Photo/Andrew J. Cohoon, File) Photos: A look at Louisiana’s Mardi Gras festivities through the years Each year, more than a million visitors travel to New Orleans to partake in the city's world-famous Carnival celebrations. FILE - Mardi Gras revelers greet a float from the Zulu parade at the corner of St. Charles and Canal Streets in New Orleans, La., on Mardi Gras day Tuesday, Feb. 11, 1997. Andrew J. Cohoon - AP Photos: A look at Louisiana’s Mardi Gras festivities through the years Each year, more than a million visitors travel to New Orleans to partake in the city's world-famous Carnival celebrations. Photos: A look at Louisiana’s Mardi Gras festivities through the years Each year, more than a million visitors travel to New Orleans to partake in the city's world-famous Carnival celebrations. 33 Festive Photos of Mardi Gras Through the Years. 33 Festive Photos of Mardi Gras Through the Years. See how the vibrant celebration has evolved over time. By Alex Aronson Published: Feb 20, 2019. After a weekslong pre-Lenten bash — complete with elaborate parades that meander through New Orleans, shimmery beads tossed from floats, streets lined with costumed revelers, lavish balls and seafood boils — Louisiana's 2025 Carnival Season is approaching its grand conclusion. Mardi Gras or Fat Photos: A look at Louisiana’s Mardi Gras festivities through the years Each year, more than a million visitors travel to New Orleans to partake in the city's world-famous Carnival celebrations. FILE - The Krewe du Belge plays during the Society of Saint Anne parade through Bywater and Marigny neighborhoods on Mardi Gras Day in New Orleans, Feb. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton, File) FILE - Mardi Gras revelers greet a float from the Zulu parade at the corner of St. Charles and Canal Streets in New Orleans, La., on Mardi Gras day Tuesday, Feb. 11, 1997. Andrew J. Cohoon - AP
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