Every year, Mardi Gras marks a celebration of community and culture, particularly in former French settlements. Cities across the U.S. host parades that draw thousands of spectators, and King Cake and MoonPie sales skyrocket.
But…what is Mardi Gras?
What is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras is a Catholic tradition celebrating the last day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, when Catholics give up vices for 40 days (excluding Sundays). Mardi Gras originated from the French tradition of “Boeuf Gras,” when Catholics feasted before giving up certain foods for Lent. This tradition followed French settlers to what is now the United States. Historians debate when and where the first Mardi Gras was celebrated, but the consensus is that it took place in either what is now New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1699 or Mobile, Alabama, in 1703.
Why is Mardi Gras on a different day every year?
The short answer is that Mardi Gras moves around each year because Easter moves around.
The long answer is that the moon phases and the spring equinox create a chain reaction that affects the dates of Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, and Easter. Mardi Gras is celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday, Ash Wednesday is celebrated exactly 46 days before Easter, and Easter takes place on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring equinox—unless, like this year, the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox aligns with Passover and Palm Sunday, in which case Easter is observed the following week. Because the Gregorian calendar doesn’t align with the phases of the moon, Easter can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25.
How is Mardi Gras celebrated?
While Mardi Gras is traditionally a Catholic celebration, modern Mardi Gras celebrations have welcomed people of all backgrounds with open arms and glittering beaded necklaces.
Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States often include parades, carnival masks, and decorations in purple, green, and gold. Cities that celebrate Mardi Gras go all out for the holiday, draping beaded necklaces from trees and lampposts and blocking off streets for parades. Parades often feature a king and queen who ride on the biggest, most extravagant float and “rule” during the Mardi Gras season.
If you’re looking for a place that loves this flashy holiday as much as you do, here are the 10 best places to celebrate Mardi Gras in the U.S.:
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Mobile, Alabama
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Pensacola, Florida
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Lafayette, Louisiana
- Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Galveston, Texas
- Biloxi, Mississippi
- San Diego, California
Top 10 Mardi Gras Celebrations in the U.S.
Because of Mardi Gras’s connection to French culture, most U.S. cities with French roots host Mardi Gras celebrations.
New Orleans, Louisiana
It’s no secret that New Orleans hosts the largest and most famous Mardi Gras celebration in the United States. As a historic French settlement and one of the rumored sites of the first Mardi Gras, NOLA goes all out for the holiday with more than 80 parades throughout Mardi Gras season. Uptown New Orleans and the French Quarter are Mardi Gras hotspots.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans extends far beyond just Mardi Gras Day. The festivities begin on Jan. 6, which is known as Twelfth Night or Epiphany, with parades every week until the Tuesday of Mardi Gras. Parades feature extravagant floats and are organized by private organizations called “krewes,” though attendance is open to the public. Many local businesses also participate in Mardi Gras, offering souvenirs and traditional treats like King Cakes.
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama, gives NOLA a run for its money with celebrations in Downtown Mobile that begin two and a half weeks before the actual day of Mardi Gras. Attendance for the 2024 celebrations surpassed 1 million.
While Mobile celebrates Mardi Gras with parades, beads, and partying in the streets, the city has its own quirks—namely, MoonPies and Joe Cain Day.
Mobile’s signature Mardi Gras treats are MoonPies. During parades, krewes will throw treats, beads, and other things at partygoers in the streets. In Mobile, MoonPies are a staple treat for krewes to throw. While attending a Mardi Gras parade in Mobile, watch out for flying MoonPies.
In addition to Mardi Gras, Mobile celebrates Joe Cain Day on the Sunday before Mardi Gras. Joe Cain is a Mobile icon who is credited with bringing Mardi Gras back to life after the Civil War.
Joe Cain Day, like Mardi Gras, is celebrated with parades and street celebrations. However, Joe Cain Day festivities are known as the “people’s parade,” due to their more casual nature compared to traditional Mardi Gras parades.
St. Louis, Missouri
The Soulard neighborhood in St. Louis claims the title of one of the biggest Mardi Gras celebrations outside of NOLA. The festivities, like in NOLA, begin on Twelfth Night and run until the Tuesday of Mardi Gras.
The Bud Light Grand Parade is the main event in St. Louis. The parade begins in Downtown St. Louis at Busch Stadium, the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, and ends at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. Take in views of the iconic Gateway Arch Park and the Mississippi River while enjoying the creative costumes and floats in the parade.
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida, may seem like an unlikely place for a Mardi Gras celebration, but the city draws over 100,000 people for its Grand Mardi Gras Parade in Downtown Pensacola. For a nighttime party, the Krewe of Lafitte Illuminated Parade is a Pensacola staple. The Krewe of Wrecks Parade is an up-and-coming parade in Pensacola Beach that stops at Casino Beach.
Pensacola’s Mardi Gras celebrations extend beyond land, too. The Pirates of Lost Treasure Mardi Gras Flotilla cruises around Perdido Key, and some beachside businesses in Pensacola Beach host Mardi Gras celebrations on the sand.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The state capitol pays homage to its most famous city with a series of Mardi Gras parades that draw thousands of spectators each year. While other cities’ Mardi Gras celebrations can get rowdy, many of Baton Rouge’s celebrations welcome revelers of all ages.
Some krewes host Mardi Gras parades to benefit different organizations. For example, the Capital Area Animal Welfare Society (CAAWS) hosts the Mystic Krewe of Mutts Parade as a fundraiser for their spay and neuter programs that help control the pet population, decreasing animal shelter overflow.
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette, Louisiana, is the perfect place to celebrate Mardi Gras, Cajun-style.
While Lafayette hosts traditional Mardi Gras parades and masked balls, what sets the city apart is the Courir de Mardi Gras across Cajun and Creole communities. During the Courir de Mardi Gras, masked participants make their way through Cajun Country collecting ingredients for a communal gumbo while singing and dancing. At the end of the courir, the host will release a chicken into the crowd, and participants will chase to catch the last ingredient for the gumbo. But don’t worry! The chicken is released unharmed, and revelers enjoy a gumbo made before the event began.
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Despite its small size, Lake Charles hosts numerous Mardi Gras celebrations between Twelfth Night and Mardi Gras. The Krewe of Barkus dog parade and the World Famous Cajun Extravaganza and Gumbo Cook-off are two of the events in Downtown Lake Charles leading up to the main event, the Mardi Gras Southwest Krewe of Krewes parade.
The Mardi Gras Southwest Krewe of Krewes parade is the finale to this weeks-long holiday, with more than 60 krewes making their way down Ryan Street in Downtown Lake Charles. Partygoers tailgate along the parade route all day, waiting to see the extravagant floats.
Galveston, Texas
In addition to the parades put on by various krewes, Galveston hosts resident-led parades to let everyone join in on the fun. Anyone can register for the Umbrella Brigade, the Jeep Parades, or the Golf Cart Parades…as long as their entries are decorated.
Galveston’s Mardi Gras celebrations go beyond just parades. Mardi Gras in Galveston doubles as a music festival, with more than 20 musicians performing every year. The two stages in Downtown Galveston are only a few blocks away from each other, making it easy for partygoers to go from one stage to the other to watch performances.
Biloxi, Mississippi
Several krewes host parades in and around Biloxi, but the crown jewel is the Gulf Coast Carnival Association’s (GCCA) Mardi Gras Day Parade. The GCCA Mardi Gras Day Parade is an establishment that dates back to 1908. Now, the parade is a major source of tourism.
Each year, the GCCA crowns a King d’Iberville and Queen Ixolib for the Mardi Gras season. The king and queen king dress up in sparkling regalia and ride on the biggest float in the Mardi Gras Day Parade.
San Diego, California
Mardi Gras can be celebrated on the West Coast, too! San Diego hosts a few Mardi Gras celebrations throughout the season.
The two major Mardi Gras establishments in San Diego are Seaworld and Gaslamp. Seaworld hosts New Orleans-inspired entertainment in the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras, including live music, magic shows, and the Royal Mardi Gras Parade that kicks off the season. Gaslamp hosts three days of parties, live music, and exclusive bar access in the Gaslamp Quarter of Downtown San Diego.
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