If you’re planning on hitting the streets of New Orleans or Mobile, you’re probably asking when does Mardi Gras start in 2025 so you don't miss the best parades. Most people think it's just a Tuesday. They’re wrong.
Actually, it's a whole season.
The official kickoff for Carnival is always January 6, which is Twelfth Night. But nobody really starts throwing plastic beads at strangers until much later. In 2025, the "big" day—Fat Tuesday—falls on March 4. That is late. Like, really late compared to some years. Because the date of Easter moves around based on the moon, Mardi Gras follows it like a shadow. Since Easter isn't until April 20 in 2025, we get a long, slow-burning Carnival season that stretches through the cold of January into what will hopefully be a mild March.
The 2025 Calendar: Why March 4 is the Magic Number
The math behind this is kinda wild. To figure out when Mardi Gras happens, you have to count back 47 days from Easter Sunday. It represents the final hurrah before Ash Wednesday and the somber 40 days of Lent. Because of this, the date can land anywhere between February 3 and March 9.
In 2025, we are bumping right up against that late-season limit.
What does that mean for you? Better weather, mostly. If Mardi Gras is in early February, it’s usually freezing and raining on St. Charles Avenue. By March 4, the azaleas might even be starting to pop in the Garden District.
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The Phases of the Season
It's not a 24/7 party for two months straight. It’s more like a series of waves.
January 6 is the "Feast of the Epiphany." This is when the Phunny Phorty Phellows ride the streetcar in New Orleans to announce the season has begun. It’s local, it’s quirky, and it’s the first day you’re legally allowed to eat King Cake without being judged by locals. Seriously, if you eat King Cake in December, people will look at you funny.
Then things go quiet. For a few weeks, it's mostly private balls and small neighborhood events.
The real intensity kicks in about two weeks before Fat Tuesday. For 2025, that means the weekend of February 21–23 is when the "first weekend" parades start rolling. This is the best time to go if you want the experience without the three-hour lines for a bathroom. You get the local vibes, the families, and plenty of space to breathe.
When Does Mardi Gras Start in 2025 for the Biggest Parades?
If you are looking for the massive, tractor-pulled floats and the celebrity grand marshals, you need to be in town for the "Main Event" stretch. This begins on Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
From that Wednesday through Tuesday, March 4, the city basically stops functioning as a normal place of business. Schools close. Banks shut down. The post office might be open, but good luck getting a truck through the parade route.
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The "Super Krewe" Schedule
- Endymion (Saturday, March 1): This is the behemoth. It’s the only mid-city parade, and people claim their spots on the neutral ground (the median) days in advance. It's loud, neon-lit, and massive.
- Bacchus (Sunday, March 2): Usually features a celebrity king. It’s a Sunday night staple that defines the weekend.
- Lundi Gras (Monday, March 3): This is the day before the big one. The Riverfront becomes a massive party for the meeting of the courts, and the Krewe of Orpheus rolls that night. Orpheus was co-founded by Harry Connick Jr., so the music is always top-tier.
- Mardi Gras Day (Tuesday, March 4): It starts early. Like 7:00 AM early. Zulu and Rex are the kings of the day. If you aren't on the route by 8:00 AM, you’re late.
It Isn't Just New Orleans
While everyone looks at the French Quarter, Mobile, Alabama actually claims the oldest organized Mardi Gras in America. They take it just as seriously. Their 2025 schedule follows the same trajectory, culminating on March 4.
The vibe in Mobile is a bit different—some say more family-oriented, though that's debatable depending on which street corner you’re standing on. In Louisiana, places like Lafayette and Lake Charles have their own unique traditions, like the Courir de Mardi Gras. This is the "rural" run where people in fringe costumes ride horses and chase chickens. It’s a far cry from the glitter of Bourbon Street, but it’s arguably more authentic to the original French Catholic roots of the holiday.
Practical Tips for the 2025 Season
Since the date is so late in 2025, hotels are already filling up. March is prime tourism time in the South because the humidity hasn't turned into a "sauna" yet.
Don't stay in the French Quarter.
Seriously.
Unless you want to hear drums and screaming at 4:00 AM, look for an Airbnb or hotel in the Lower Garden District or even Mid-City. You’ll be closer to where the locals actually watch the parades, and you’ll save a fortune on overpriced "Hand Grenade" drinks.
Transport is a nightmare. Uber and Lyft prices will have "surge" pricing that looks like a monthly car payment. Rent a bike or just prepare to walk ten miles a day. It’s the only way to get around the barricades.
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How to Handle "The Catch"
The 2025 season will be competitive for throws. Because the parades are later in the year, crowds are expected to be larger. If you want the good stuff—hand-decorated Zulu coconuts or Muses shoes—you have to be at the front of the barricade.
A lot of people think you have to do "things" to get beads. You don't. That’s a tourist trap thing on Bourbon Street. On the actual parade routes (St. Charles Avenue, Canal Street), just waving your hands and looking enthusiastic is enough.
Also, watch out for the "Target" beads. Some krewes are moving toward sustainable throws like coffee beans, zatarain’s seasoning packets, or wooden coins. These are way cooler than the plastic junk that ends up in the storm drains.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Timing
The biggest mistake is showing up on Ash Wednesday (March 5, 2025).
I’ve seen it happen. People fly in on Wednesday morning thinking the party is still going. It isn't. At midnight on Tuesday, the police do a "sweep" of Bourbon Street. They literally ride horses through the crowd to clear the way for street sweepers. By Wednesday morning, the city is in "repentance mode."
The party is over. The bars are empty. The beads are in the trash.
If you want to see the real Mardi Gras, you need to be there for the four days leading up to March 4. That is the sweet spot. Anything after that is just a very expensive hangover.
Actionable Steps for Planning Your 2025 Trip
- Book Lodging Now: Look for spots near the St. Charles streetcar line but outside the "Box" (the area where you get trapped by parade routes).
- Download a Parade Tracker: Apps like WDSU Parade Tracker or WWL-TV’s app are essential. They show you exactly where the "head" of the parade is in real-time.
- Pack Layers: Even though it’s March, New Orleans weather is moody. It can be 75 degrees at noon and 45 degrees when the sun goes down.
- Bring a Bag: Bring a sturdy, reusable bag for your catches. Plastic grocery bags will rip within twenty minutes under the weight of the beads.
- Check the Route Changes: Every year, the city tweaks the routes based on construction or police staffing. Confirm the 2025 route maps in early February on the official city websites.
Mardi Gras 2025 is going to be a long, strange, beautiful season. With Fat Tuesday landing on March 4, you have plenty of time to get your costume together and your stamina up. Just remember: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. If you start drinking at 9:00 AM on the first Saturday, you won’t make it to the big day. Pace yourself, eat plenty of jambalaya, and keep your eyes on the floats.