The South unequivocally owns Mardi Gras. Between our over-the-top festivities in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama, everyone knows that if you want to properly celebrate Fat Tuesday, it’s got to be in the South. From cinnamon-swirled king cakes to lavish balls and float processions that rival the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, there’s so much to love about Mardi Gras. Unlike most holidays, which fall on the same day each year, Mardi Gras’s date changes each year. Keep reading for all the details on when to celebrate Mardi Gras 2024.
When Is Mardi Gras 2024?
This year, Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, February 13. Also called, Carnival, Mardi Gras is celebrated on Fat Tuesday each year, which always lands precisely 47 days before Easter and one day before Ash Wednesday. Because Easter changes each year (it’s always the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox), so does Mardi Gras. Easter can fall on any Sunday between March 23 and April 25, so Mardi Gras can be any day from February 3 to March 9.
While Mardi Gras’s biggest and final celebration arrives on Fat Tuesday (February 13 this year), the Carnival season always begins on Epiphany, which is always on January 6. So this year, the Mardi Gras season runs from January 6 through February 13.
First published by Southern Living. Read the full article here.