When is Mardi Gras in 2016?

The date of Mardi Gras in 2016 is on Tuesday, February 9th. 

What is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, serves as a celebration before the long fast of Lent, which begins the following day.  The largest Mardi Gras celebration occurs in New Orleans, Louisiana, where street masquerades are common. 

The most popular United States city in regards to Mardi Gras 2015 is New Orleans, Louisiana. The official Mardi Gras season kicks off on or after Epiphany (January 6th) and lasts until Fat Tuesday but the bulk of celebrations are concentrated in the two-week period leading up to Fat Tuesday. At least one large parade is held every day in the Upton or Mid-City Districts during that two-week parade with the biggest parades performed during the five-day period before Ash Wednesday. Carnival krewes, pronounced "crew," put on the parades that include traditional throws being tossed off the floats during the parade. The most common "throws" are necklaces of plastic colorful beads that have become a staple of New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations. Bourbon Street and the French Quarter have become tourists traps for Mardi Gras celebrations as they are known to have the routiest crowds and feature women flashing their breasts in order to receive Mardi Gras beads or throws.