Mardi Gras Facts & Statistics (2026): Date, History, Traditions, Colors

Last Updated on: February 22nd, 2026

By:

Mardi Gras (French for “Fat Tuesday”) is the final day of Carnival season before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. In the U.S., the best-known celebrations happen in New Orleans, but the oldest documented Mardi Gras tradition in what is now the United States is often credited to Mobile, Alabama.

Quick facts

  • Mardi Gras 2026 date: Tuesday, February 17, 2026. (NewOrleans.com)
  • Oldest U.S. Mardi Gras tradition: Mobile, Alabama is widely cited for early celebrations dating to 1703. (HISTORY)
  • Mardi Gras colors & meanings: Purple (justice), green (faith), gold (power) were popularized via Rex’s 1892 “Symbolism of Colors” theme. (MardiGrasNewOrleans.com)
  • Float-rider masking: In New Orleans, float riders are required to wear masks by law. (NewOrleans.com)

What is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras is the Carnival celebration held on the day before Ash Wednesday. The name comes from French—mardi (Tuesday) and gras (fat)—reflecting the tradition of feasting before the Lenten season of fasting and abstinence. In many places, “Mardi Gras” is used as shorthand for the broader Carnival season, which runs from Twelfth Night (January 6) to Fat Tuesday. (HISTORY)

When is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras Day 2026 is Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The date changes each year because it is tied to Easter and always falls the day before Ash Wednesday. (NewOrleans.com)

Mardi Gras facts and statistics

  1. “Mardi Gras” literally means “Fat Tuesday.” It refers to the final day of indulgence before Lent. (64 Parishes)
  2. Mobile, Alabama is often credited with the oldest documented U.S. Mardi Gras tradition. Early celebrations are widely cited as dating to 1703. (HISTORY)
  3. In the U.K., the same day is commonly called Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day. The “shrove” tradition refers to confession (“to shrive”) ahead of Lent. (Reference overview)
  4. Mardi Gras colors are purple, green, and gold. Their well-known meanings—purple (justice), green (faith), gold (power)—are associated with Rex’s 1892 “Symbolism of Colors” theme. (MardiGrasNewOrleans.com)
  5. The first Comus parade in New Orleans was held on Mardi Gras in 1857. Comus is widely cited as a foundational “krewe” in the modern New Orleans parade tradition. (Reference overview)
  6. Fat Tuesday is a legal holiday in Louisiana. The Mardi Gras Act of 1875 established Mardi Gras as a state holiday. (Reference overview)
  7. Beads are a signature “throw” tradition. Parade riders toss throws—like beads and doubloons—to spectators, and the practice is closely associated with late-19th-century Carnival traditions in New Orleans. (TIME)
  8. “Laissez les bons temps rouler” means “Let the good times roll.” It’s a well-known Louisiana French phrase used widely in and around New Orleans. (NewOrleans.com)
  9. Float riders in New Orleans are required to wear masks by law. Masking helps preserve tradition and anonymity. (NewOrleans.com)
  10. One commonly cited estimate: about 1.5 million visitors come to New Orleans for Mardi Gras in a typical season (estimates vary by year and methodology). (Louisiana Radio Network)

Sources & references



Please note that some of these numbers are easier to find than others. Most of these fun facts come from internet reports and may not be official tallies. No information contained on DMR should be relied upon to make investment decisions. Basically, this is the best I can find and I don’t guarantee anything to be 100%.