Wondering when and how to celebrate Fat Tuesday? Here's what to know

Mardi Gras is a popular celebration here on the Gulf Coast. And while the Carnival season has become synonymous with revelrous parades and raucous parties, its roots are anchored deep in Christianity.

Fat Tuesday, which translates to Mardi Gras in French, is the culmination of the Carnival season. The overarching celebration is a symbolic gesture; it’s the “last hoorah,” when French families would spend the night eating rich, fatty foods before the ritual Lenten sacrifices and fasting of the Lenten season.

Today, Fat Tuesday traditionally marks the end of Carnival with parades and overindulgence, putting a wrap on Mardi Gras.

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When is Fat Tuesday?

Fat Tuesday lands on Feb. 13 in 2024.

What does Fat Tuesday celebrate?

Fat Tuesday is the French translation of Mardi Gras. "Mardi" means Tuesday in French and gras is the word for "fat." Traditionally, the holiday was a time for feasting and eating fatty foods that are not allowed during Lent.

Mardi Gras is also referred to as Carnival and Shrove Tuesday, according to the Almanac.

What is Shrove Tuesday?

Shrove Tuesday, also sometimes referred to as Pancake Day in some parts of the world, is observed by Christians such as Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists and Roman Catholics and is nearly identical to Fat Tuesday.

Also occurring on the day before Ash Wednesday, Shrove Tuesday is the practice of confession and absolution, often observed by burning the previous year’s Holy Week palms.

How to celebrate Fat Tuesday?

Fat Tuesday is typically celebrated with parades and other festivities. Parades are typically organized by “krewes,” which are carnival clubs that have kings, queens, royal courts and more. While these clubs tend to exist solely to celebrate Carnival, many meet year-round and contribute to the community in various ways.

Eating king cake is another popular Fat Tuesday tradition. King cakes are made from a blend of coffee cake and cinnamon roll. They are typically topped with icing featuring the Mardi Gras colors.

Each king cake hides a plastic baby inside, representing baby Jesus. Whoever gets the slice with the baby will be blessed by luck and prosperity, according to tradition. And they’re also responsible for bringing the next cake or throwing the next party.

What do people wear for Mardi Gras?

Dressing up to celebrate Mardi Gras is another popular tradition, but there aren’t a lot of hard and fast rules, which means you’re free to express yourself in a variety of ways.

Many krewes will have their own takes on what to wear. To make your own costume, wear something fun and flashy with Mardi Gras colors: purple, green and gold.

Colorful and flashy beads are a must when it comes to accessorizing, but if you’re headed to a parade, you’ll find no shortage of beads if you can’t find any before the Mardi Gras rush.

Lastly, consider adorning a masquerade mask or some dramatic face painting or makeup.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: When is Fat Tuesday? Here’s when and where to celebrate