Mardi Gras comes to a close on Tuesday night, and soon, those who celebrate will exclaim “Laissez les bons temps rouler,” or “Let the good times roll” for the last time this Carnival season. Download USA TODAY's app to get to the heart of news When is Mardi Gras 2025? Here's what to know as Fat Tuesday approaches Pretty baby: How to make an oven pancake, or Dutch Baby, for Mardi Gras Mardi Gras is celebrated annually, with the exception of 2021 when parades were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Download USA TODAY's app to get to the heart of news Oscar-winning actor Today the Mardi Gras tradition includes beautiful beach sunsets while taking in free parades along Seawall Boulevard and many locations throughout the city. Advertisement For 2024, Galveston’s Mardi Gras celebrations run from Feb. 2-13 with lavish masked balls, parties, live music, a wide variety of events for all ages, and loads of parades . Mardi Gras' origins can be traced back to France and Italy, but today, New Orleans is the largest and most famous place for the event. Is Mardi Gras celebrated in other countries? Carnival season festivities will close Tuesday in spectacular fashion with colorful parades, glitzy beads and masked celebrants.RELATED: Mardi Gras crowds, p What exactly is Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras has an interesting history in the United States that dates back to the extremely late 1600s and early 1700s. Prior to is Christian transformation, it was a pagan celebration of spring and fertility, according to History.com. Afterward, it was merged into Lent, which is known for its 40 days of fasting and Mardi Gras, which translates to "Fat Tuesday," is on March 4. In Christian traditions, it marks the last day of consuming rich, fatty foods before the Lenten fasting period. On March 2, the Asheville Mardi Gras organization will host its 18th annual family-friendly parade, and local businesses will entertain with festive events. Mardi Gras in New Orleans is considered a SEAR 1 event, which is a rating of special events based on risk-assessment, meaning that the event will receive federal interagency support. The city of New Orleans is currently preparing to make Mardi Gras safe and secure by enacting higher levels of security. Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday: Tuesday, March 4; International Women's Day: This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March 2025 holiday schedule: Mardi Gras, Daylight saving time, Download USA TODAY's app to get to the heart of news When is Mardi Gras 2025? Here's what to know as Fat Tuesday approaches Pretty baby: How to make an oven pancake, or Dutch Baby, for Mardi Gras Download USA TODAY's app to get to the heart of news When is Mardi Gras 2025? Here's what to know as Fat Tuesday approaches Pretty baby: How to make an oven pancake, or Dutch Baby, for Mardi Gras The Boeuf Gras float rolls down St. Charles Avenue on Mardi Gras Day as the 440 riders of Rex, King of Carnival, celebrate their 150th year with a 26-float parade entitled School of Design Download USA TODAY's app to get to the heart of news When is Mardi Gras 2025? Here's what to know as Fat Tuesday approaches Pretty baby: How to make an oven pancake, or Dutch Baby, for Mardi Gras Asheville Mardi Gras will host its 18th annual parade on March 2 in downtown Asheville. The parade will begin at 3:05 p.m. at the corner of Short Coxe and Coxe Avenues. This year's parade theme is Mardi Gras in New Orleans is considered a SEAR 1 event, which is a rating of special events based on risk-assessment, meaning that the event will receive federal interagency support. The city of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, also known as Carnival, has been in full swing since Jan. 6 and will close with a grand, final celebration on March 4, better known as Fat Tuesday. Originating from When Californian's and people around the world celebrate/observe holidays in March: Dates for Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, Lent and St. Patrick's Day Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is a day of indulgence that marks the end of Carnival. It's immediately followed by Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Lent is a 40-day season of fasting, excluding USA TODAY is providing live coverage of Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, Louisiana on Tuesday, Feb. 13. You can watch the embedded video live at the top of the page or on USA TODAY's
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