Mardi Gras for the year 2026 is celebrated/ observed on Tuesday, February 17th. Mardi Gras known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday falls annually on the day before Ash Wednesday (start of Lent ). The word "Mardi Gras" means "Fat Tuesday" in the French language. Mardi Gras 2025 falls on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Mardi Gras Day is March 4, 2025. Fat Tuesday is the last day of the Carnival season as it always falls the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The official start of Carnival Season is Twelfth Night, January 6. Book your hotel room now and Reserve your Mardi Gras package Date Holiday Day Week number Days to go; March 4, 2025: Mardi Gras Carnival 2025: Tuesday: 10: 4: February 17, 2026: Mardi Gras Carnival 2026: Tuesday: 8: 354 When is Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras 2025 falls on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Nothing about Mardi Gras is predictable – not even the date. Unlike Christmas or the 4th of July which always fall on the same calendar day, the only thing you can count on for sure with Carnival is that Fat Tuesday will fall on, well, a Tuesday. This year’s Carnival season lasts 58 days, from 12th Night on Jan. 6 to Mardi Gras on March 4. But next year, Mardi Gras falls on Feb. 17. That means celebrations in 2026 will pack into just 43 The date of Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is determined by the date of Easter. Mardi Gras is 47 days before Easter. 2026: Feb. 6 – Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17: 2027: Jan Mardi Gras in 2026 is on Tuesday, the 17th of February (17/2/2026). How are Mardi Gras dates determined? Mardi Gras is celebrated on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras Dates in 2025, 2026 and 2027. Mardi Gras is celebrated at the following dates: Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Tuesday, February 9, 2027 Mardi Gras is celebrated on the day before Ash Wednesday and 47 days before Easter 1. This can fall on any Tuesday between February 3 and March 10 1. Mardi Gras is a direct Also sometimes referred to as Carnival or Carnival Day, Mardi Gras is always scheduled 47 days preceding Easter (the 40 days of Lent plus seven Sundays). Future Mardi Gras Dates. 2026 – February 17 2027 – February 9 2028 – February 29 2029 – February 13 2030 – March 5 2031 – February 25 2032 – February 10 Mardi Gras is the final day before Lent, the season of preparation for Easter. Mardi Gras 2026: February 17, 2026; Mardi Gras 2027: February 9, 2027; Mardi Gras In some parts of the country, official organizations control their Mardi Gras celebration, but this is not true in New Orleans. Q: When does Mardi Gras start and end? The Carnival season always begins on Jan. 6, which is King’s Day (Feast of the Epiphany). Mardi Gras day (Fat Tuesday), however, is on a different day each year. Mardi Gras, like Christmas, is a whole season - not just one day. That being said, Fat Tuesday is the biggest day of celebration, and the date it falls on moves around. You'll find that Fat Tuesday can be any Tuesday between Feb. 3 and March 9. When Does Mardi Gras Start? The Carnival season starts during the King’s Day or the Feast of the Epiphany, which takes place on January 6. However, you cannot say the same for Fat Tuesday because it is always different yearly. After Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday takes place 46 days before Easter Sunday. 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. Holiday Date Days to Go; Mardi Gras 2024: Tuesday, February 13, 2024-382: Mardi Gras 2025: Tuesday, March 04, 2025: 3: Mardi Gras 2026: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 When is Mardi Gras 2025? This year, Mardi Gras, which translates from French to "Fat Tuesday," is on March 4. Ash Wednesday is on March 5, the day marking the start of the 40-day Lenten season While Mardi Gras officially takes place on Fat Tuesday—the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent—in New Orleans, annual Mardi Gras festivities start weeks beforehand. This article originally appeared online in 2018 and was most recently updated in November 2024. 1:30 PM | D'Iberville - North Bay Mardi Gras Association Parade. Monday, March 3 5:30 PM | Bay St. Louis - Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse Lundi Gras Parade. Tuesday, March 4, Mardi Gras 1 PM | Bay St. Louis - Krewe of Real People 1 PM | Biloxi - Gulf Coast Carnival Association Mardi Gras Parade Holiday Date Days to Go; Mardi Gras 2024: Tuesday, February 13, 2024-362: Mardi Gras 2025: Tuesday, March 04, 2025: 23: Mardi Gras 2026: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 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.
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