What is Mardi Gras? What to know about carnival season in New Orleans

On By Littum

The holiday season may have ended with the new year, but those who attend Mardi Gras are kicking off another round of festivities.

The Mardi Gras season known as “Carnival” begins on Monday, January 6, about two months before the annual Shrove Tuesday. The French holiday maintains a presence in the United States with Americans holding parades, eating king cakes and making beads with the green, purple and gold color scheme.

The most notable celebrations are held in New Orleans, where Mardi Gras Day is an official holiday that the city has celebrated for centuries.

Parades are set to begin Monday less than a week after a deadly truck attack killed 14 people and injured dozens in what FBI officials have called an “act of terrorism.” At least six parades are still planned for Monday, including two in the French Quarter, where the attack took place on busy Bourbon Street.

Here’s what you need to know about the carnival season this year.

What is the season of Lent?

Another name for the season of Lent is “Carnival.” The name may derive from the medieval Latin word, “carnelevarium“, which means “to take away or remove flesh,” according to the History Channel.

These specific customs are no longer the main focus of Mardi Gras. However, the practice of overindulgence still applies to the holiday. Today, Mardi Gras is seen as a chance to go all out and party before the solemn Lenten season.

What does Mardi Gras mean?

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday,” according to Britannica.

Historically, people on Shrove Tuesday were supposed to use “all fat in the home before Lent in preparation for fasting and abstinence.” Britannica says so. Christians would consume rich, fatty foods such as meat, eggs and cheesebefore the Lenten fast, according to the History Channel.

When does the carnival season start?

The Mardi Gras season known as “Carnival” begins on Monday, January 6, 2025 and ends on Fat Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

When is Mardi Gras?

Fat Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday, takes place on March 4, 2025.

Following the Christian liturgical calendar, Shrove Tuesday is traditionally celebrated Shrove Tuesday, which falls before Ash Wednesday.

How long is Lent?

While Mardi Gras technically refers to that specific day Mardi Grasit is often considered to be an entire season. The first Mardi Gras celebrations often take place on “Twelfth Night” or Epiphany, which falls on January 6according to Britannica.

These parades and events continue until the climax on the official Mardi Gras day. The Mardi Gras festivities continue anywhere from four to eight weeksdepending on the year’s liturgical calendar, according to Condé Nast Traveler.

In the United States, on Mardi Gras Day, outdoor festivities last until midnight, until revelers are “asked to clear the street” according to the French Quarter’s official website.

Is Mardi Gras celebrated every year?

Yes, Mardi Gras is celebrated every year with the exception of 2021, when New Orleans parades were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2025 Mardi Gras festivities are already set in New Orleans, starting on January 6. These will continue until March 4, marking almost two months of merriment.

The first Mardi Gras in the United States took place on March 3, 1699reports the History Channel. The festivities would continue for decades thanks to French settlers who attended parades, masquerade balls and fancy dinners during the holiday.

But under Spanish control of New Orleans, large observances on Mardi Gras were banned. This remained until Louisiana became a state in 1812, according to the History Channel.