When is Mardi Gras 2027? Get ready for an even shorter Carnival season next year
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Mardi Gras 2027 will occur on Feb. 9, making the Carnival season 35 days.
- Carnival length varies by year because Mardi Gras date depends on the Easter cycle.
- Easter falls the first Sunday after the first full moon following March 21.
If you enjoy the Carnival season in South Mississippi and beyond, the calendar is doing you no favors.
The 2026 season that ends today was two weeks shorter (43 days) than the 58-day festival we were graced with in 2025. And next year, we’re losing another week, as Mardi Gras will fall on Feb. 9.
That means next year we will be down to 35 days between the beginning of the celebration on 12th Night (Jan. 6) to Fat Tuesday on Feb. 9.
Why the change?
Mardi Gras falls on different days each year because the holiday depends on Easter.
Easter falls between March 22 and April 25. It comes the first Sunday after the first full moon that follows the spring equinox on March 21.
Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, is 36 days before Easter. Fat Tuesday always falls the day before that.
So Mardi Gras falls on a Tuesday anytime between Feb. 3 and March 9.
Reporter Martha Sanchez contributed to this report.