Mardi Gras celebrations in full swing in New Orleans
New Orleans has the biggest annual Mardi Gras celebration in the United States, and the festivities are in full swing as “Fat Tuesday” approaches.
Following weeks of celebrations and king cake, the 2026 Mardi Gras season will come to a grand end on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17.
While Mardi Gras was initially a religious holiday observed prior to the Christian Lenten season, it has since expanded from a single day of observation to weeks (or months) of partying and festivities.
The season is typically celebrated with jubilant music, street celebrations and parades, often occurring on the days leading up to Fat Tuesday. Carnival begins on Jan. 6 with Three Kings Day, also known as Epiphany, a pre-Lent festival honoring the beginning of the new year and the rebirth of nature, according to Britannica.
The festivals and celebrations in the weeks leading up to the Lenten season are celebrated across the world, from France to Brazil and beyond.
In the U.S., Mardi Gras is most famously celebrated in New Orleans, Louisiana, with the city decking up, hosting spectacular parades and celebrations, and eating an endless amount of king cake. It is also celebrated in other cities throughout Louisiana, as well as St. Louis, Missouri, Galveston, Texas, and Mobile, Alabama, where the tradition is actually said to have started first in 1703.
Whether you’re a local, a traveler planning a trip to New Orleans, or want to watch the festivities from afar, here’s what to know about Mardi Gras parades in the Big Easy this year.
When is Mardi Gras 2026?
Mardi Gras day, which translates from French to English as “Fat Tuesday,” will be celebrated on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
The Mardi Gras season, also referred to as Carnival, began 12 days after Christmas on Jan. 6 and will last until Fat Tuesday.
Origins of Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday that traces its roots back to pagan spring and fertility rites, according to History.com.
Christy Garrison-Harrison, an assistant professor of history and women, gender, and sexuality studies at Southern University and A&M College, previously told USA TODAY that Mardi Gras began in medieval Europe, starting in Rome and making its way to France. The tradition then made its way through the colonies, and around 1699, French Canadians arrived in what is now Mobile, Alabama.
Back then, people celebrated “Boeuf Gras,” meaning “fatted calf,” which was a time for people to enjoy things such as fatty foods, sugar, alcohol and other items considered “decadent,” Garrison-Harrison explained. They’d give themselves until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, or what is often called Fat Tuesday, to indulge, after which Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and penance before Easter Sunday, would commence.
The Mardi Gras Carnival season is predominantly celebrated in countries with large Roman Catholic populations, and today, some of the biggest celebrations in the world take place in Brazil; Venice, Italy; and New Orleans.
Extravagant Mardi Gras traditions from around the world
Mardi Gras, a spectacle of vibrant colors, extravagant costumes and lively parades, holds a deeper significance in many cultures.
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When are the 2026 Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans?
Louisiana was first colonized by the French before becoming part of the U.S. and has since retained strong French and Cajun culture and traditions, including Mardi Gras.
While New Orleans has been hosting Mardi Gras parades since the start of January, the following parades are scheduled for the final days of fun: Monday, Feb. 16, and Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Here’s when and where to catch these parades, according to Mardi Gras New Orleans. For specific parade routes, visit NewOrleans.com. (Note: Parade times and routes are subject to change.)
Monday, Feb. 16
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Contributing: Saleen Martin / USA TODAY
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
