Following weeks of celebrations andking cake, the2026 Mardi Gras seasonwill come to a grand end on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17.
While Mardi Gras was initially a religious holiday observed prior to theChristian 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 toBritannica.
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 ofking cake.It is also celebrated in other cities throughout Louisiana, as well as St. Louis, Missouri, Galveston, Texas, andMobile, 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.
People take part in the annual Cape Town Minstrel Carnival parade, in Cape Town, South Africa, January 5, 2026. Global celebrations for Carnival, a period of feasting, parades and costumes, began with the Feast of the Epiphany and will culminate on Mardi Gras." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
See 2026 Carnival celebrations around the world
People take part in the annual Cape Town Minstrel Carnival parade, in Cape Town, South Africa, January 5, 2026. Global celebrations for Carnival,a period of feasting, parades and costumes, began with the Feast of the Epiphany and will culminate on Mardi Gras.
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.
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Origins of Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday that traces its roots back to pagan spring and fertility rites, according toHistory.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 TODAYthat 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.
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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.
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 toMardi Gras New Orleans. For specific parade routes, visitNewOrleans.com.(Note: Parade times and routes are subject to change.)
Monday, Feb. 16
Krewe of Proteus: 5:15 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Orpheus: 6 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Centurions: 6 p.m., Metairie (Followed by Krewe of Atlas)
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Krewe of Zulu: 8 a.m., Uptown New Orleans
Covington Lions Club: 10 a.m., Covington (followed by Krewe of Bogue Fayala)
Krewe of Rex: 10:30 a.m., Uptown New Orleans (followed by Krewe of Elks Orleans and Krewe of Crescent City)
Mardi Gras Indians: TBD, Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Argus: 11 a.m., Metairie (followed by Krewe of Elks Jeffersonians)
Krewe of Folsom: 2 p.m., Folsom
Contributing: Saleen Martin / USA TODAY
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X@GabeHauarior email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:See Mardi Gras 2026 New Orleans parade schedule for Feb. 16, Feb. 17