When Is Mardi Gras 2027? Dates, Parade Schedule & the Full New Orleans Calendar
If you're starting to plan a New Orleans trip, the first question is always the same: when is Mardi Gras 2027? The short answer is Tuesday, February 9, 2027. But Fat Tuesday is just the finale. Mardi Gras is a whole season, and knowing how the calendar unfolds is the difference between catching one parade and experiencing Carnival the way locals do.
Here's the complete 2027 picture - the key dates, the parade rollout, and exactly when to be in town.
When Is Mardi Gras 2027?
Mardi Gras Day - Fat Tuesday - falls on Tuesday, February 9, 2027.[1] It's followed immediately by Ash Wednesday on February 10, which marks the start of Lent and the official end of Carnival.
Mardi Gras moves every year because it's tied to Easter. Fat Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday - the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent - which is why the date shifts between early February and early March each year.[2] In 2027, Easter lands on March 28, which pulls Mardi Gras back to early February.
That earlier date has a practical consequence: 2027 is a relatively short Carnival season. With the season running from January 6 to February 9, you get about 34 days of Carnival - on the compact end, which means the parades are packed into a tighter window and the city fills up fast.
The Carnival Season: Key 2027 Dates at a Glance
Carnival isn't a single day - it's a season with its own rhythm. Here are the anchor dates to build your 2027 plans around.
Twelfth Night - Wednesday, January 6, 2027
Carnival season officially begins on January 6 - Twelfth Night, the Feast of the Epiphany - and runs all the way to Fat Tuesday.[3] This is the night king cakes appear in bakeries, the Phunny Phorty Phellows ride the St. Charles streetcar to herald the season, and the Joan of Arc parade marches through the French Quarter. It's a low-key but beloved kickoff.
The Quiet Weeks - Mid-January Through Late January
The season opens gently. Smaller neighborhood and suburban krewes roll first, giving the city time to warm up. If you want Carnival atmosphere without the biggest crowds, this stretch is underrated.
The Final Stretch - Thursday, February 4 Through Tuesday, February 9, 2027
This is the main event. The largest, most elaborate parades are concentrated in the final five or six days before Fat Tuesday. If you can only be in New Orleans for one window in 2027, make it the weekend of February 5-9.
Lundi Gras - Monday, February 8, 2027
The day before Fat Tuesday has become a celebration in its own right. The Kings of Zulu and Rex traditionally arrive by boat at the Mississippi riverfront, and an all-day festival fills the Riverwalk with live music and food before the super krewe Orpheus rolls that evening.
Fat Tuesday - Tuesday, February 9, 2027
The grand finale. Zulu and Rex roll down St. Charles Avenue in back-to-back morning processions, costumed revelers fill the streets, and the whole city celebrates until midnight - when police formally clear Bourbon Street to mark the start of Lent.
The 2027 Parade Rollout: How the Final Weekend Works
Most of the parades visitors travel for are concentrated in the last long weekend. There are normally around 80 parades scheduled in New Orleans during Carnival, but the super krewes that anchor the season all roll in the final days before Fat Tuesday. Here's the typical sequence, mapped to the 2027 calendar.
Thursday, February 4 & Friday, February 5 - The build-up. Beloved nighttime krewes like Muses (the all-female krewe famous for its hand-decorated, glittered high-heel shoe throws), Hermes, and the satirical Krewe d'Etat traditionally roll on these evenings, lighting up St. Charles Avenue after dark.
Saturday, February 6 - Endymion. One of the largest parades in all of Carnival, rolling its Mid-City route before finishing inside the Caesars Superdome for the ticketed Endymion Extravaganza.
Sunday, February 7 - Bacchus. The super krewe famous for celebrity monarchs and enormous signature floats, rolling the Uptown St. Charles route on Sunday evening.
Monday, February 8 - Orpheus (Lundi Gras). The music-forward super krewe co-founded by Harry Connick, Jr., capping Lundi Gras night.
Tuesday, February 9 - Zulu & Rex (Fat Tuesday). Zulu rolls first in the morning - catching one of its hand-painted coconuts is among the most coveted moments in Carnival - followed by Rex, the King of Carnival, who established the official Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold.
A quick but important note for planners: individual krewes confirm their exact parade dates and roll times closer to the season, and the city occasionally adjusts the schedule. Treat the lineup above as the established pattern, and check the official rosters once 2027 dates are posted. The anchor dates - Twelfth Night January 6, Lundi Gras February 8, and Fat Tuesday February 9 - are fixed.
How Many Days Should You Plan For?
It depends on what you want out of the trip.
A taste of Carnival (2-3 days): Arrive Friday, February 5 and stay through the weekend. You'll catch the build-up parades plus a super krewe or two - a full Mardi Gras experience without committing to Fat Tuesday crowds.
The full finale (4-5 days): Arrive Thursday or Friday and stay through Fat Tuesday, February 9. This is the classic visit: Endymion, Bacchus, Orpheus, Lundi Gras on the riverfront, and the Zulu-and-Rex morning on the big day itself.
The deep dive (a week or more): Come earlier in the week to catch neighborhood parades, settle into a routine, and experience the slower build before the city goes full throttle.
Whatever you choose, book early. Because 2027's season is short and the parades are tightly packed, hotels and short-term rentals near the route fill up months in advance.
Plan the Rest of Your 2027 Trip
Knowing the dates is step one. Here's where to go next:
- Figure out where to stay: Parade proximity matters more than almost anything else. Our neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to where to stay for Mardi Gras 2027 breaks down Uptown, the Garden District, the CBD, and more.
- Learn how the parades actually work: Routes, neutral-ground vs. sidewalk side, ladders, and how to catch throws - it's all in our complete insider guide to New Orleans Mardi Gras parades.
- Understand what you're seeing: King cake babies, the colors, the masks, the coconuts - our guide to Mardi Gras traditions, explained covers what it all means and where it comes from.
Mark Your Calendar
To recap the 2027 essentials: Carnival season opens on Twelfth Night, January 6, builds through late January, and explodes into its final weekend from February 5 to 9. Lundi Gras is Monday, February 8, and Mardi Gras Day - Fat Tuesday - is Tuesday, February 9, 2027.
Get the dates on your calendar, book your room near the route, and start counting down. Laissez les bons temps rouler.
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