Mardi Gras for first-timers
Mardi Gras is not one parade on one day. It is a season, from Twelfth Night (6 January) to Fat Tuesday, with the big parades packed into the last twelve days. Next Fat Tuesday: Tuesday 9 February 2027.
Most of it is free, outdoors and organised by the krewes, the private clubs that build the floats and ride them. Nobody sells tickets to the street. What you need is a plan for which days to come, where to stand, and how to get home.
1. Pick your days
The final weekend (Friday to Tuesday) is the classic trip, with the super krewes: Endymion on Saturday, Bacchus on Sunday, Orpheus on Lundi Gras (Monday), Zulu and Rex on Mardi Gras morning. It is also the most crowded and the most expensive time to book a room.
The weekend before has full parade nights too (in recent years Krewe of Pontchartrain, Cleopatra and others), with thinner crowds and lower prices. The Thursday before Mardi Gras, with Muses, is a favourite with locals.
For Carnival 2027, the usual slots give:
- Fri 29 Jan Cleopatra
- Sat 30 Jan Pontchartrain
- Wed 3 Feb Alla
- Thu 4 Feb Muses, Babylon, Chaos
- Fri 5 Feb Hermes, d'Etat, Morpheus
- Sat 6 Feb Endymion, Iris, Tucks
- Sun 7 Feb Bacchus, Thoth, Okeanos, Mid-City
- Mon 8 Feb Orpheus, Proteus
- Tue 9 Feb Zulu, Rex
Usual pattern, not announced Krewes keep their days year to year, but the City Council confirms the schedule each season and weather moves parades: check ready.nola.gov/mardi-gras the week you go.
2. Pick your Mardi Gras
Uptown on St. Charles Avenue is where most parades roll. It is the family Mardi Gras: neighbourhood crews with ladders, grills (where allowed) and folding chairs under the oaks, and the best place to catch throws. Further downtown, towards Lee Circle and Canal Street, it gets denser and rowdier.
The French Quarter has no big float parades: the streets are too narrow. Bourbon Street on the final weekend is the crowded, adult version people see on television. On Mardi Gras Day, the Marigny and the lower Quarter fill with costumed walking groups, among them the Société de Sainte Anne, and costume-watching is the main event.
Mid-City belongs to Endymion on the Saturday: people stake out spots along Orleans Avenue and Canal Street from the morning.
3. Know the route rules
The city's rules are short and enforced. Ladders must be at least six feet back from the curb; nothing may be placed on the route (including the neutral ground) more than four hours before a parade; ropes, tents and other enclosures are banned. Details in parade etiquette.
4. Bring
- Comfortable closed shoes. You will stand for hours, and the street is littered with beads and worse.
- A bag for throws, and a cross-body bag or front pocket for your phone and cards.
- Layers: February highs average about 68°F (20°C), lows about 47°F (8°C), and night parades end late. See February and March.
- A plan for toilets. Portable toilets on public property need city permission, so many restaurants and bars along the route charge for access or sell wristbands.
- A meeting point. Phone networks slow down in big crowds; agree on a corner before you split up.
5. Getting around
Parades close streets for hours and the St. Charles streetcar is replaced by buses on the main parade days. Walk, cycle, or plan your route around the parade: getting around during Carnival.
6. Book early
Mardi Gras 2027 is 9 Feb 2027. For the final weekend, rooms close to the routes are often booked months ahead. Staying a little further out, along the streetcar lines or in Mid-City, can save money if you are happy to walk.
More guides
Parade etiquette · Getting around during Carnival · What to wear, month by month