Seasonal discoveries

New Orleans Mardi Gras

New Orleans Mardi Gras is the city’s Carnival season, rooted in French, Spanish, and Catholic traditions. It begins on Twelfth Night, January 6, and continues until midnight before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Visitors can experience a lively run of parades organized by social clubs known as krewes, with the largest and most elaborate processions generally concentrated in the final five days. The season also includes krewe balls, some of them masquerade events, although many are private. New Orleans’ Mardi Gras Indians add a distinctive Black American and Creole cultural tradition through elaborate suits and masking. Check official dates and arrangements before travelling.