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When Is Mardi Gras? (Countdown & Dates)

Blake Boege
Written by Blake Boege · Founder, Calculator Answers

An educational resource and countdown tool details the date rules and observance dates for Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) and Fat Tuesday. Users search for this to find when the holiday is next celebrated, view a ticking countdown, and check upcoming dates.

Check when Mardi Gras is next observed, view a live countdown, and review dates for upcoming years.

See also: When Is St. Patrick's Day? (Countdown & Dates), When Is Daylight Saving Time? (Spring Forward & Fall Back Dates), and Date Calculator.

Quick Answer

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is celebrated exactly 47 days before Easter Sunday. For 2026, Mardi Gras is on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

Direct answer

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is celebrated on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which is exactly 47 days before Easter Sunday.

For 2026, Mardi Gras is on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

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Examples

US Observance Rule

Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (47 days before Easter)

Holiday Status

Cultural/religious festival (state holiday in LA/AL)

Traditional Colors

Purple (justice), green (faith), and gold (power)

How it works

Mardi Gras is a movable feast whose date is computed dynamically relative to Easter Sunday. It falls exactly 47 days before Easter.

The client-side countdown live-ticks down to the midnight start of Mardi Gras in your local timezone.

When is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, is celebrated annually on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Because its date is directly tied to Easter, which shifts based on lunar cycles, the date of Mardi Gras changes every year, ranging from February 3 to March 9.

What day of the week / how is the date determined?

Mardi Gras is always observed on a Tuesday. The date is calculated by finding the date of Easter Sunday for that year and subtracting exactly 47 days. Easter Sunday is determined by the church calendar as the first Sunday after the paschal full moon.

A brief history of Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras originated as a Christian holiday rooted in pagan spring and fertility rites. It was brought to America by French explorers Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville in 1699, when they landed near present-day New Orleans and named the spot 'Point du Mardi Gras'. The celebration grew into a major festival with parades, balls, and street parties, particularly in New Orleans, Louisiana, where the first official street parade took place in 1837.

Is it a federal holiday?

Mardi Gras is not a federal holiday in the United States. However, it is a state holiday in Louisiana and Alabama, and is a public holiday in some counties/parishes. In these regions, local government offices, banks, and public schools are closed.

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Frequently asked questions

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is always the day before Ash Wednesday, which puts it 47 days before Easter Sunday. Because Easter moves, so does Mardi Gras. The countdown above shows the next one.

Mardi Gras (which is French for 'Fat Tuesday') is always celebrated on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The date is movable because it is calculated as exactly 47 days before Easter Sunday.

No, Mardi Gras is not a federal holiday in the United States. However, it is an official state holiday in Alabama, Louisiana, and parts of Florida, meaning state offices and schools are closed in those areas.

There is no difference; they are two names for the same day. 'Mardi Gras' is simply the French translation of 'Fat Tuesday', referring to the practice of eating rich, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season begins on Ash Wednesday.