When is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras falls on the Tuesday immediately before Ash Wednesday, which is the official beginning of Lent. Mardi Gras is seen as a hedonistic celebration that will prepare revelers for the period of fasting and religious self control that follows during Lent.

Mardi Gras precedes Lent and is considered the final celebration in the weeks-long Carnival season, which begins January 6 on the feast of Epiphany, also known as Twelfth Night. Mardi Gras takes place on a different day each year, but it always falls immediately before Ash Wednesday, which also takes place on a different date in early February each year.