Mardi Gras 2024: New Orleans parade schedule, routes, what to know about the celebration
Revelers and partygoers, listen up: Mardi Gras season has returned to New Orleans.
Beginning as a religious holiday observed prior to the Christian Lenten season, Mardi Gras has since expanded from a single day of observation to weeks (or months) of partying. The festivals and celebrations in the weeks leading up to the Lenten season are celebrated across the world, from France to Brazil and beyond, but in the U.S., it's most famously found in New Orleans, Louisiana.
New Orleans takes Mardi Gras seriously, with traditions including king cake and parades beginning in January and lasting for weeks until the actual holiday itself.
Whether you're a local, a traveler planning a trip to New Orleans or want to watch the festivities from afar, here's what to know about Mardi Gras parades in the Big Easy this year.
When is Mardi Gras 2024?
This year, Mardi Gras, which translates from French to "Fat Tuesday," is on Feb. 13.
Ash Wednesday is on Feb. 14, the day marking the start of the 40-day Lenten season that culminates with Easter.
Origins of king cake: What to know about the sweet Mardi Gras treat plus a recipe to try
Why does New Orleans celebrate Mardi Gras?
Although it is a Christian holiday now, Mardi Gras is a holiday that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites, according to the History Channel. Mardi Gras, also often called Carnival or Carnaval, is celebrated in countries around the world with large Roman Catholic populations.
Louisiana was colonized first by the French before it became part of the U.S., and has retained strong French and Cajun culture and traditions, including Mardi Gras.
When are the 2024 Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans?
There are plenty of parades all over New Orleans celebrating Mardi Gras, beginning in January and lasting through Mardi Gras on Feb. 13.
Here's when and where to catch these parades, according to Mardi Gras New Orleans. For specific parade routes, click the link on the corresponding parade.
Friday, Jan. 26
Krewe Bohème: 7 p.m., French Quarter
Krewe of Titans: 6:30 p.m., Slidell
Saturday, Jan. 27
Krewe de Vieux: 6:30 p.m., French Quarter
Krewe of Bilge: Noon, Slidell
Krewe of Poseidon: 6 p.m. Slidell
Sunday, Jan. 28
Krewe of Antheia: 1 p.m., Slidell
'tit Rex: 4:30 p.m., Marigny
Krewe of Pearl River Lions Club: 1 p.m., Pearl River
Krewe of Nefertiti: 1 p.m., New Orleans East
Friday, Feb. 2
Krewe of Cork: 3 p.m., French Quarter
Krewe of Excalibur: 7 p.m., Metairie
Krewe of Oshun: 6 p.m., Uptown New Orelans (Krewe of Cleopatra and Krewe of Alla follows.)
Krewe of Eve: 7 p.m., Mandeville
Saturday, Feb. 3
Magical Krewe of Mad Hatters: 5 p.m., Metairie
Krewe of Pontchartrain: 11:30 a.m., Uptown New Orleans (Legion of Mars, Krewe of Choctaw and Krewe of Freret follows.)
Knights of Sparta/Spartan Society: 5:30 p.m., Uptown New Orleans (Krewe of Pygmalion follows.)
Krewe de Paws of Olde Towne: 10 a.m., Slidell
Krewe of Tchefuncte: 1 p.m., Madisonville
Krewe of Olympia: 6 p.m., Covington
Knights of Nemesis: 1 p.m., Chalmette
Sunday, Feb. 4
Krewe of Barkus: 2 p.m., French Quarter
Krewe of Atlas: 4 p.m., Metairie
The Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale: 11 a.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Carrollton: 12:30 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of King Arthur: 1:30 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Dionysus: 1 p.m., Slidell
Krewe of Push Mow: 2 p.m., Abita Springs
Monday, Feb. 5
The Mystic Krewe of Music: 6 p.m., Westbank
Wednesday, Feb. 7
Krewe of Druids: 6:15 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Nyx: 6:45 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
The Krewe of Nandi: 6 p.m., Westbank
Thursday, Feb. 8
Krewe of Symphony: 6:30 p.m., Metairie
Knights of Babylon: 5:30 p.m. (Knights of Chaos and Krewe of Muses follows.)
Friday, Feb. 9
Krewe of Bosom Buddies: 11:30 a.m., French Quarter
Krewe of Hermes: 5:30 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe d'Etat: 6:30 p.m,. Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Morpheus: 7 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Selene: 6:30 p.m., Slidell
Saturday, Feb. 10
Krewe of Iris: 11 a.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Tucks: Noon, Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of NOMTOC: 10:45 a.m., Westbank
Krewe of Endymion: 4:15 p.m., Mid-City
Krewe of Bush: 9 a.m., Bush
Krewe of Isis: 6 p.m., Kenner
Sunday, Feb. 11
Krewe of Athena: 5:30 p.m., Metairie
Krewe of Okeanos: 11 a.m., Uptown New Orleans (Krewe of Mid-City follows.)
Krewe of Thoth: Noon, Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Bacchus: 5:15 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
Monday, Feb. 12
Krewe of Centurions: 6:30 p.m., Metairie
Krewe of Proteus: 5:15 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Orpheus: 6 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
Tuesday, Feb. 13 (Mardi Gras)
Krewe of Argus: 11 a.m., Metairie (Krewe of Elks Jeffersonians follows.)
Krewe of Zulu: 8 a.m., Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Rex: 10:30 a.m., Uptown New Orleans (Krewe of Elks Orleans and Krewe of Crescent City follows.)
Covington Lions Club: 10 a.m., Covington (Carnival in Covington follows.)
Krewe of Folsom: 2 p.m., Folsom
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mardi Gras 2024 parade schedule: New Orleans celebrations, explained
