Twelfth Night, the start of Carnival
Carnival season opens on 6 January, the Feast of the Epiphany, with a streetcar ride uptown and a walking parade in the French Quarter.
- When
- Every year on 6 January. Both Twelfth Night processions are tied to the date itself, not to a weekend. (source, checked 2026-10-26)
- Where
- French Quarter (Joan of Arc parade); St. Charles Avenue (Phunny Phorty Phellows streetcar)
- Admission
- Free to watch
- Official site
- joanofarcparade.org/
Fixed date · 66 days away
About Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night is the last night of the Christmas season and, in New Orleans, the first night of Carnival. From now until Fat Tuesday it is king cake season, and the parade calendar starts to fill.
Two small processions mark the evening. The Phunny Phorty Phellows, first organised in 1878 and revived in 1981, charter a St. Charles streetcar at the Carrollton car barn (around 7 p.m. in recent years) and ride the line in costume to announce the season. In the French Quarter, the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc (founded 2008) walks in medieval costume to honour Joan of Arc, whose birthday is traditionally given as 6 January; the parade began at Bienville and Front streets at 7:30 p.m. in 2026.
Neither is a big float parade: they are short, intimate and free, and a good way to see the season start without crowds.
Tips
- Joan of Arc's route is in the Upper Quarter near the river; check the krewe's site for the year's start time and route.
- Buy your first king cake of the season the same day: bakeries traditionally start selling them on 6 January.
Dates, 2026–2035
| Year | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tue 6 Jan | Fixed date |
| 2027 | Wed 6 Jan | Fixed date |
| 2028 | Thu 6 Jan | Fixed date |
| 2029 | Sat 6 Jan | Fixed date |
| 2030 | Sun 6 Jan | Fixed date |
| 2031 | Mon 6 Jan | Fixed date |
| 2032 | Tue 6 Jan | Fixed date |
| 2033 | Thu 6 Jan | Fixed date |
| 2034 | Fri 6 Jan | Fixed date |
| 2035 | Sat 6 Jan | Fixed date |
Sources
- joanofarcparade.org/ (held annually on 6 January; checked 2026-10-26)
- myneworleans.com/18th-annual-joan-of-arc-parade-marches-jan-6/ (founded 2008; 2026 start point and time; checked 2026-10-26)
- yahoo.com/news/phunny-phorty-phellows-twelfth-night-042038694.html (Phunny Phorty Phellows: 1878, revived 1981, streetcar ride; checked 2026-10-26)