When is Mardi Gras 2026? What to know about its vibrant traditions

Learn what Mardi Gras is, where it began, when it happens and simple ways to celebrate this lively tradition.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Mardi Gras is the climax of Carnival season and is celebrated the day before the Christian season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. In French, Mardi Gras means 'Fat Tuesday,' another name for the holiday. While the dates and exact celebrations of Carnival vary by location, the United States celebrates Mardi Gras beginning 10 days before Shrove Tuesday, also called 'Pancake Tuesday' or 'Pancake Day,' when it is customary to eat all the fats in the house before Lent. This year, Mardi Gras will be celebrated on Feb. 17.

Why it matters

Mardi Gras is a vibrant and centuries-old tradition that brings communities together through parades, costumes, music, and food. It marks the transition from the pre-Lenten Carnival season to the Christian season of Lent, and its celebrations vary across the world.

The details

The first Mardi Gras celebration in America was celebrated in 1703 in the settlement of Fort Louis de la Mobile. Mardi Gras was celebrated soon after the city of New Orleans was founded in 1718, but was briefly banned when the Spanish took control of New Orleans until Louisiana became a U.S. state in 1812. In 1827, a group of students wearing colorful costumes danced through the streets of New Orleans, copying the festivities they saw while visiting Paris. A decade later in 1837, the first Mardi Gras street parade was recorded and remains a yearly occurrence to this day.

  • Mardi Gras is always observed on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, typically in either February or March.
  • This year, Mardi Gras will be celebrated on Feb. 17, 2026.

The players

Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville

A French-Canadian explorer who named the area 'Pointe du Mardi Gras' on March 2, 1699 when his men came across the plot of land on the eve of Mardi Gras.

Cowbellion de Rakin Society

A group that held an annual parade on New Year's Eve and stepped up to restore order to the Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans in 1857, forming the 'Mystick Krewe of Comus' to stage their own parades annually.

Krewe of Rex

One of the most famous Krewes, officially called the 'School of Design,' that chooses a prominent person to be Rex, the King of Carnival and leader of the organization's group of esteemed citizens.

Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club

One of the oldest African American krewes, with its first parade dating back to 1909, that began the tradition of throwing Zulu coconuts to members of the crowd in 1910.

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What’s next

The next major Mardi Gras celebration will take place on February 17, 2026.

The takeaway

Mardi Gras is a centuries-old tradition that brings communities together through vibrant parades, costumes, music, and food, marking the transition from the pre-Lenten Carnival season to the Christian season of Lent. Its celebrations vary across the world, but the New Orleans Mardi Gras is one of the most famous, with a rich history of krewes, parades, and unique traditions like throwing Zulu coconuts.