Wait, When Is Mardi Gras? Here's Everything You Need to Know
Okay, quick activity: When you think of Mardi Gras, what do you see? If you immediately thought of a combo of purple, green, and gold, you’re off to a good start. Oh, you thought of beaded necklaces and parades, too? You’re juuust about halfway there. Don’t worry, though, because whether you never miss your city’s Mardi Gras events or you just kinda recognize the holiday from that one scene in The Princess and the Frog, we're here to fill in all the gaps—even for those of you who are like, "Wait...when is Mardi Gras even happening this year??"
All right, so Mardi Gras—also known as Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, or Carnival—is actually meant to serve as the final day of extravagant celebration and feasting before the beginning of Lent (a six-week fasting period observed by the Christian religion before Easter). The holiday has a suuuper-long history (like…the 1700s) and deep roots in New Orleans, Louisiana. Celebrations first started as v fancy community balls, then eventually expanded to street parades in the 1800s.
Still waiting for the significance of those Mardi Gras masks you’ve seen in Party City? Well, it’s a tradition that Mardi Gras partygoers wear them throughout the celebrations to keep their identities concealed so everyone can mingle with whomever they want. And then there are those iconic Mardi Gras colors we talked about before: Purple is meant to represent justice, gold is meant to represent faith, and green is meant to represent power. The more you freaking know!!
When is Mardi Gras 2023?
Now that you’re an official Mardi Gras expert, we’ve got to go over the specifics. This year, the official date of Mardi Gras is Tuesday, February 21, 2023, though the Carnival season actually began on January 6. That date is known in Christianity as the Twelfth Night, or the last of the 12 days of Christmas. So when the holiday season officially ends, Carnival officially begins!
Now, if you’re looking to celebrate in New Orleans, the prime time for festivities starts on February 14, as the city actually has daily parades and activities scheduled from that night all the way through February 21 (pace yourself!). Before you book your flights, though, just remember that Mardi Gras’s religious ties make it super popular in most majority Catholic countries, so you can also experience some amazing parades in Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Colombia, and Brazil if you’re feeling like an international trip. Other states in the U.S. celebrate Mardi Gras as well, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Missouri, New Mexico, and California, to name just a few.
Why does the date of Mardi Gras change every year?
While you can always count on Fat Tuesday to land on a Tuesday (duh), the date can vary over several weeks in February and March, depending on the year. That's because the date of Mardi Gras is tied to Easter, and Easter always occurs on the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon on or after the spring equinox. (Confusing, we know.) So, while Mardi Gras always takes place 47 days before Easter, Easter can fall on any Sunday between March 23 and April 25.
The day after Mardi Gras marks the beginning of the Lenten season for Western churches with Ash Wednesday, which falls on February 22 in 2023. After 46 days, Lent concludes with Holy Saturday, which always occurs the day before Easter Sunday (and since the holiday doesn't include Sundays, Lent is still considered to be 40 days long). In 2023, Easter lands on April 9—but you don't have to be Christian to take part in the Mardi Gras celebrations leading up to Lent. Speaking of celebrations...
Will Mardi Gras happen in 2023?
We know you’ve had to have this convo countless times over the past three years ('cause, ya know, COVID), but progress takes compromise, y'all. In 2021, all the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations were totally canceled, and in 2022, COVID layoffs and staff shortages led to shorter parade routes and strict safety precautions. Thankfully, it looks like things are back on track for 2023, and according to Mayor LaToya Cantrell, all the parading krewes will be able to return to their full, pre-pandemic routes this year.
If you’re not quite ready to navigate the typically gigantic Mardi Gras crowds in the Big Easy (totally understandable), then there are definitely more intimate ways you can celebrate the holiday with your nearest and dearest. Bake a king cake, serve some fun drinks, deck out your living room in purple, green, and gold, and get ready to let the good times roll!!
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