When Is Mardi Gras in 2026? Is That Early or Late?

(KMDL-FM) When the weather gets cool in Louisiana, the chickens start to get a bit uneasy. They know when the cold fronts start arriving, it won't be too much longer until masked riders will attempt to capture them and put them in a Mardi Gras gumbo. But just how long exactly will those chickens be on edge? When is Mardi Gras in 2026?

For people who don't know better, aka folks who don't live in Louisiana, Mardi Gras is never on the same date two years in a row. Granted, it's always on a Tuesday. And that Tuesday will be the day before Ash Wednesday. But from year to year, the actual date of Mardi Gras changes.

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If you're wondering, the earliest that Mardi Gras can fall is February 3rd. And yes, there have been Mardi Gras that happened that early. If you're unsure of how we arrive at when Mardi Gras occurs, the formula is quite simple.

Mardi Gras always happens 47 days before Easter. Easter is always on the first Sunday following the first full moon of the spring equinox. By the way, the latest date for Mardi Gras to occur is March 9th. We came close to that date this year with a Mardi Gras date of March 5th.

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Is Mardi Gras 2026 Early or Late Next Year?

As far as the 2026 date for Mardi Gras goes, I would say it falls in the middle between early and late. We should have plenty of time for Mardi Gras balls and king cakes after Christmas but before Fat Tuesday.

The 2026 date should also bode well for better weather for parades and festivals, too. While technically, we won't be in Louisiana's springtime, it usually starts to warm up about the time we're ready to celebrate.

How Close to Valentine's Day is Mardi Gras 2026?

If there is one "fly in the ointment" that is Mardi Gras 2026, it might be Valentine's Day. That will happen just three days before Mardi Gras. Valentine's Day is February 14th, and Mardi Gras 2026 will be February 17th.

If you'd like to plan ahead for future Mardi Gras, in 2027, the holiday will happen even sooner on February 9th. In 2028, the date moves to February 29th, yes, a Leap Day Mardi Gras. And in 2029, we will celebrate Fat Tuesday on February 13th. We won't have a Mardi Gras in March until 2030, when it's back on March 5th.