when is mardi gras

Mardi Gras always falls on a Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, and the date changes every year because it is tied to the timing of Easter.

Quick answer

• For 2026, Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

• In general, Mardi Gras is the last day of the Carnival season and is always 47 days before Easter and the day before Lent begins.

How the date is set

• Mardi Gras is linked to the Christian liturgical calendar: it is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday , which begins Lent.

• Because Easter moves each year based on a lunar-related formula, Mardi Gras can fall between early February and early March.

Recent and upcoming dates

• 2025: Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

• 2026: Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

• 2027: Tuesday, February 9, 2027.

Mini note on celebrations

• Many New Orleans parades and parties happen in the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras, starting with Carnival season on January 6 (Twelfth Night).

• The day itself is marked by parades, costumes, beads, music, and heavy feasting before the fasting period of Lent.

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