Mardi Gras season in New Orleans kicks off with Twelfth Night on January 6, 2026 and builds through weeks of parades leading up to Fat Tuesday on February 17, 2026—the grand finale of Carnival celebrations in the Big Easy. The festivities include vibrant costumes and floats, delicious food, live music and plenty of beaded necklaces. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned Carnival veteran, the 2026 parade season promises an incredible mix of traditional krewes, neighborhood favorites, and unforgettable throws along Uptown, Mid-City, the French Quarter, and beyond.
New Orleans Mardi Gras is one of our favorite events to cover yearly and whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time attendee, you’ll be sure to have an unforgettable experience celebrating in the Crescent City.
The complete parade schedule is as follows:
Twelfth Night (Carnival Kickoff)
Monday, January 6
French Quarter
- 7:30 PM – Société Des Champs Elysée
- 8:00 PM – Krewe of Joan of Arc
Uptown New Orleans
- 7:00 PM – Phunny Phorty Phellows
- 7:00 PM – Funky Uptown Krewe
These early parades officially mark the start of Carnival season and offer a fun, festive way to kick off your Mardi Gras experience. This is also the first official day you can eat King Cake!
Mid-Season Parades
Saturday, January 10
Covington
- 4:00 PM – Fools of Misrule
Mandeville
- 3:00 PM – Mande Kings Day
Saturday, January 17
French Quarter
- 6:00 PM – Krewe Mosaïque
Saturday, January 24
Marigny
- 7:00 PM – Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus
Friday, January 30
French Quarter
- 7:00 PM – Krewe Bohème
Slidell
- 6:30 PM – Krewe of Titans
Saturday, January 31
Marigny
6:30 PM – Krewe du Vieux
Slidell
- 12:00 PM – Krewe of Bilge
- 6:00 PM – Krewe of Poseidon
Sunday, February 1
Metairie
- 12:00 PM – Krewe of Little Rascals
Slidell
- 1:00 PM – Krewe of Antheia
Marigny
- 4:30 PM – ’tit Rəx
Pearl River
- 1:00 PM – Pearl River Lions Parade
New Orleans East
- 1:00 PM – Krewe of Nefertiti
These early and neighborhood parades bring a unique, often quirky flavor to Carnival with handcrafted floats and creative costumes.
Uptown & Core Carnival Parades
Friday, February 6
French Quarter
- 3:00 PM – Krewe of Cork
Metairie
- 6:30 PM – Krewe of Excalibur
Uptown New Orleans
- 5:30 PM – Krewe of Oshun
- Followed by: Krewe of Cleopatra
Mandeville
- 7:00 PM – Krewe of Eve
Saturday, February 7
Metairie
- 5:00 PM – Magical Krewe of Mad Hatters
Uptown New Orleans
- 11:30 AM – Krewe of Pontchartrain
- Followed by: Legion of Mars
- Followed by: Krewe of Choctaw
- Followed by: Krewe of Freret
- 5:30 PM – Knights of Sparta / Spartan Society
- 6:15 PM – Krewe of Pygmalion
Slidell
- 10:00 AM – Krewe de Paws of Olde Towne
- 7:00 PM – Krewe of Mona Lisa and MoonPie
Madisonville
- 12:00 PM – Krewe of Tchefuncte
Covington
- 6:00 PM – Krewe of Olympia
Chalmette
- 1:00 PM – Knights of Nemesis
Sunday, February 8
French Quarter
- 2:00 PM – Krewe of Barkus
Uptown New Orleans
- 11:00 AM – Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale
- 12:30 PM – Krewe of Carrollton
- 1:00 PM – Krewe of King Arthur
Slidell
- 1:00 PM – Krewe of Dionysus
Abita Springs
- 2:00 PM – Krewe of Push Mow
Monday, February 9
Westbank
- 6:00 PM – Mystic Krewe of Music
Tuesday, February 10
- 6:30 PM – Krewe of Symphony
Wednesday, February 11
Uptown New Orleans
- 6:15 PM – Krewe of Druids
- Followed by: Krewe of Alla
Westbank
- 6:00 PM – Krewe of Nandi
Thursday, February 12
Uptown New Orleans
- 4:30 PM – Knights of Chaos
- 5:30 PM – Knights of Babylon
- 6:00 PM – Krewe of Muses
Friday, February 13
French Quarter
- 11:30 AM – Krewe of Bosom Buddies
Uptown New Orleans
- 5:30 PM – Krewe of Hermes
- 6:30 PM – Krewe d’État
- Followed by: Krewe of Morpheus
Slidell
- 6:30 PM – Krewe of Selene
Saturday, February 14
Uptown New Orleans
- 11:00 AM – Krewe of Iris
- 12:00 PM – Krewe of Tucks
Westbank
- 10:45 AM – Krewe of NOMTOC
Mid-City
- 4:00 PM – Krewe of Endymion
Bush
- 9:00 AM – Krewe of Bush
Kenner
- 6:00 PM – Krewe of Isis
Sunday, February 15
Metairie
- 6:00 PM – Krewe of Athena
Uptown New Orleans
- 11:00 AM – Krewe of Okeanos
- Followed by: Krewe of Mid-City
- 12:00 PM – Krewe of Thoth
- 5:15 PM – Krewe of Bacchus
Monday, February 16 — Lundi Gras
Metairie
- 6:00 PM – Krewe of Centurions
- Followed by: Krewe of Atlas
Uptown New Orleans
- 5:15 PM – Krewe of Proteus
- 6:00 PM – Krewe of Orpheus
Tuesday, February 17 — Mardi Gras Day
Metairie
- 11:00 AM – Krewe of Argus
- Followed by: Krewe of Elks Jeffersonians
Uptown New Orleans
- 8:00 AM – Krewe of Zulu
- 10:30 AM – Krewe of Rex
- Followed by: Krewe of Elks Orleans
- Followed by: Krewe of Crescent City
- Throughout the Day – Mardi Gras Indians
Covington
- 9:15 AM – Covington Lions Club
- Followed by: Carnival in Covington
Folsom
- 2:00 PM – Krewe of Folsom
From the first parade on Twelfth Night to the final celebrations after Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras 2026 in New Orleans offers weeks of nonstop color, music, and tradition across the city and beyond. With parades rolling through the French Quarter, Uptown, Mid-City, Metairie, the Westbank, and neighboring towns, the season showcases everything from historic krewes and family-friendly daytime marches to glittering nighttime spectacles and beloved pet parades.
Whether you’re planning to catch the legendary Zulu and Rex on Mardi Gras Day, experience crowd favorites like Endymion and Bacchus, or discover smaller, creative krewes along the way, this comprehensive parade schedule makes it easy to plan an unforgettable Carnival season in New Orleans.