fat tuesday 2026: New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Revel in Carnival's Last Hurrah
On Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 (ET), revelers from across the region turned out in force as Fat Tuesday brought Carnival to a raucous close. Streets and balconies filled with people dressed in purple, green and gold, eager for the last day of feasting, music and parades before Lent begins the following day.
Parades, throws and signature traditions
From the early morning lining of St. Charles Avenue to the evening processions through the French Quarter, floats, marching bands and costumed krewes delivered the pageantry that defines Carnival. Parade-goers reclaimed ladders and lawn chairs as prized vantage points while riders lobbed the season's signature "throws"—plastic beads, doubloons, stuffed animals, candy and novelty cups—into eager hands.
One particularly coveted throw remained the hand-decorated coconut from the Zulu parade; when a man dressed as a crawfish snagged a glittered coconut, he waved it triumphantly as the sun caught the gold glitter on the husk. Elsewhere, massive feathered headdresses and beaded Black masking Indian regalia added color and history to parades that blend pageant with cultural memory.
Costumes, local color and statewide celebrations
Costumes ran the gamut from elaborate, sequined ensembles to inventive homemade outfits. Sue Mennino, wearing a white Egyptian-inspired look complete with a gold headpiece and glittered makeup, said Carnival is a day to put the world on pause and celebrate. She and her husband, longtime residents, walked through the French Quarter and took in the detailed costumery that defines the city's street-level theater.
The revelry was not confined to New Orleans. Across the state, from exclusive masked balls to rural Courir de Mardi Gras runs—where costumed participants solicit ingredients and chase live fowl for a communal gumbo—communities kept regional flavors of the festival alive. Parades and events along the Gulf Coast also drew crowds, joining international celebrations that mark the final day before Ash Wednesday.
What comes next: Lent and Easter dates
Fat Tuesday serves as the final day of indulgence before Ash Wednesday. In 2026, Lent begins on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 (ET), initiating a 40-day season of fasting, prayer and reflection for many Christians leading up to Easter. Easter Sunday falls on April 5, 2026, placing this year's Lenten calendar in the earlier part of spring.
Traditionally, the day is also called Shrove Tuesday, a time for using up rich foods before the fast of Lent. For many participants the day is equal parts ritual and release—one last parade of excess before a period of restraint.
A day of music, food and neighborhood rituals
Music echoed through neighborhoods as brass bands, zydeco groups and marching ensembles pushed floats along historic avenues. Street grills and coolers set up by early risers transformed curbside spots into pop-up tailgates, with some revelers opting for adult beverages in place of morning coffee.
Whether drawn by the spectacle, the sense of community or the tradition, thousands treated fat tuesday 2026 as an annual obligation and a joyful respite. Carnival's end was marked not by melancholy but by the communal thrill of shared rituals—throws handed down over a fence, a feathered headdress passing beneath a balcony, and the collective countdown to the quieter season that begins the next day.
