NEW ORLEANS — The party has already started in New Orleans.
New Orleans officially kicked off the Carnival season on Jan. 6, the 12th day after Christmas, also known as King's Day. Carnival season culminates on Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, after weeks of celebration, joyous street parties, lavish balls, colorful parades, and sweet (or savory) king cakes.
New Orleans' raucous celebration is the nation's best known, but the holiday is also celebrated throughout much of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. Mobile, Alabama, lays claim to the oldest Mardi Gras celebration in the country.
Why does the date for Mardi Gras change?
While Carnival season always begins on a set date, Mardi Gras changes each year because the date for Easter Sunday changes each year. Easter is the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, the first full moon on or after March 21. That means Easter Sunday can fall between March 22 and April 25.
Mardi Gras takes place the day before Ash Wednesday, a holy day for prayer that marks the start of the 47-day Christian season of Lent before Easter.
When is Mardi Gras 2023?
Mardi Gras 2023 falls on Feb. 21. Ash Wednesday is the next day, Feb. 22, and Easter Sunday is April 9.
Download the 2023 Mardi Gras Parade Tracker
WWL-TV presents Mardi Gras Parade Tracker. We are New Orleans' premier Mardi Gras parade tracking service. We cover more parades in more areas of the city than any other app available on the market.
Here's where to download the WWL-TV parade tracker for your phone:
Never miss a parade again. Why stand in the cold for 2 hours waiting for a parade to arrive? With Mardi Gras Parade Tracker you can time your arrival to the parade route precisely with the parade's arrival. Already at the parade? Don't time that 3-and-a-half block walk to find a restroom with the arrival of this year's celebrity Court. We keep you informed with the latest parade information to help you make your Mardi Gras experience the best it can be.
Our user-friendly interface lets you take advantage of our service with ease. We use scrollable and zoomable maps for our parade routes to provide you with the most precise and up-to-the-minute parade location.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
