Key Takeaways
- Mardi Gras 2027 is Tuesday, February 9. Easter falls early (March 28), so the New Orleans Carnival season runs just five weeks, from January 6 to February 9.
- The 2027 parade list is provisional. New Orleans & Company lists 46 parades by date, but says final dates and routes are still "coming soon". The City has not set official 2027 start times yet.
- Almost half the parades come in the last seven days. 22 of the 46 listed parades roll from Wednesday, February 3 to Fat Tuesday.
- Saturday is the night that fills first. In 2025, downtown and French Quarter hotels averaged nearly 87% full over the final five nights and hit 95% on the Saturday, Endymion night.
- Sleep near St. Charles between Canal Street and Harmony Circle. That stretch sits on both the Endymion route and the Uptown routes used by Bacchus, Orpheus and Rex.
Mardi Gras 2027 is Tuesday, February 9, and the big final run starts Wednesday, February 3, with 22 parades in seven days. The night hotels fill first is Saturday, February 6, when Endymion rolls: in 2025 that Saturday hit 95% occupancy downtown. The City's official 2027 parade times are not out yet, so book the room now and the curbside spot later.
We built this trip in Navoy: a 7-day New Orleans Mardi Gras plan, February 4 to 10, 2027.
When is Mardi Gras 2027 in New Orleans?
Fat Tuesday is February 9, 2027, confirmed by New Orleans & Company, the city's tourism agency. Mardi Gras is always 47 days before Easter, and Easter 2027 falls on March 28. That makes Lundi Gras Monday, February 8, and Ash Wednesday February 10.
The season itself always opens on January 6, Twelfth Night. With Mardi Gras on February 9, that leaves only five weeks of Carnival, one of the shorter seasons you will see. Mardi Gras can land on any Tuesday from February 3 to March 9, so last year's dates are useless for planning. In 2026 it was February 17. In 2028 it will be February 29.
One calendar detail worth knowing. In 2026, Presidents' Day fell on Lundi Gras. In 2027 the federal holiday is Monday, February 15, six days after Mardi Gras, so the final weekend is not a federal long weekend this time. We would not count on that making rooms easier to find.
If you are comparing New Orleans with Rio or Venice, our Carnival 2027 calendar shows how every major carnival keys off the same February 9 date.
What is the 2027 Mardi Gras parade schedule?
New Orleans & Company lists 46 parades for 2027, from January 6 to February 9, under a note: "2027 Parade Dates and final routes coming soon!" Treat the dates as provisional; the City has not set 2027 start times, though Endymion's own site already says it begins at 4:00 pm on Orleans Avenue on February 6. What is reliable is the pattern: the main krewes on each night of the 2027 final week are the ones that rolled on that weekday in 2026.
The table below puts the 2027 date for each night of the final week next to what the City Council published for the same krewes in 2026. Start times and routes for 2027 come out closer to the season; the 2026 ones show you roughly what to expect.
| 2027 date (provisional) | Parades listed for 2027 | 2026 start times, same krewes | 2026 route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Feb 3 | Druids, Alla | 6:15 pm, 6:45 pm | Uptown |
| Thu, Feb 4 | Chaos, Babylon, Muses | 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:00 pm | Uptown |
| Fri, Feb 5 | Bosom Buddies, Hermes, D'Etat, Morpheus | Hermes 5:30 pm, D'Etat 6:30 pm, Morpheus 7:00 pm | Uptown (Hermes, D'Etat, Morpheus) |
| Sat, Feb 6 | Iris, Tucks, Endymion | 11:00 am, 12:30 pm, 4:15 pm | Uptown (day), Mid-City (Endymion) |
| Sun, Feb 7 | Okeanos, Mid-City, Thoth, Bacchus | 11:00 am, 11:45 am, 12:00 pm, 5:15 pm | Uptown |
| Mon, Feb 8 (Lundi Gras) | Proteus, Orpheus | 5:15 pm, 6:00 pm | Uptown |
| Tue, Feb 9 (Mardi Gras) | Zulu, Rex, Elks-Orleans, Crescent City | 8:00 am, 10:30 am, then Elks and Crescent City follow Rex | Central City (Zulu), Uptown |
Two weekends earlier there is a smaller cluster: 13 parades from Friday, January 29 to Sunday, January 31, including Cleopatra and the Krewe of Barkus dog parade. Nothing is listed for Monday, February 1 or Tuesday, February 2.
Which nights do New Orleans hotels fill first for Mardi Gras?
Saturday. In 2025, the roughly 26,000 hotel rooms downtown and in the French Quarter averaged nearly 87% occupancy from the Friday before through Fat Tuesday, and 95% on the Saturday night, according to New Orleans & Company figures reported by The Times-Picayune. In 2024, the same five nights averaged 81% and never reached 90%.
The 2025 figures were still described as unofficial when they were reported. For 2026, New Orleans & Company said in March that it expected occupancy "in the mid-to-high 90 percent range" while it waited for final data, which it has not published.
That Saturday is Endymion night, followed by the krewe's Extravaganza party in the Caesars Superdome. For 2027 that is Saturday, February 6. The rest of the final weekend runs close behind, and New Orleans & Company's own advice is blunt: "Hotels on the parade route book up a year in advance. The best balcony rooms especially go quickly."
What that means in practice, in October:
- If you can only do a weekend, book Friday and Saturday first. Saturday is the night to secure; Sunday and Monday are worth adding once it is booked.
- Book refundable if you can. The 2027 schedule is still provisional, and a free-cancellation rate costs you less than a non-refundable one you cannot use.
- Check the rate's minimum stay before you pay. Peak-weekend rates can come with conditions that only show up at checkout.
Check what's left for your nights: New Orleans hotels, live prices.
How much more do hotels cost on Mardi Gras weekend?
Roughly two to three times a normal Saturday. When we searched New Orleans on Navoy on October 2, 2026, the cheapest room for two on Endymion Saturday, February 6, 2027, was $133, against $63 three weeks later on Saturday, February 27. The median of the 12 cheapest rooms was $252 versus $81.
| Room for 2 adults, 1 night | Sat Feb 6, 2027 | Sat Feb 27, 2027 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest room available | $133 | $63 | 2.1x |
| Median of the 12 cheapest | $252 | $81 | 3.1x |
| Median of 12 top-rated picks | $587 | $217 | 2.7x |
Those are October prices, four months out. With occupancy reaching 95% on the 2025 Saturday, the cheap end is the part that tends to go first, so the gap is unlikely to shrink as the date gets closer.
How we measured: live Navoy hotel search, one room, two adults, one night, prices in US dollars including taxes and fees as shown, both nights checked the same day. Prices move daily, so treat these as a snapshot, not a quote.
Price your own nights: compare New Orleans hotels for Mardi Gras weekend.
Where should you stay for Mardi Gras in New Orleans?
On or within walking distance of St. Charles Avenue between Canal Street and Harmony Circle. The City's 2026 route lists show that stretch, the 100 to 900 blocks of St. Charles, on both the Mid-City route that Endymion uses and the Uptown routes used by Bacchus, Orpheus and Rex. Zulu's Mardi Gras morning route runs down it too. One room covers every big night.
Plenty of visitors book the French Quarter expecting the parades outside the door. The big ones don't roll through it: the City's route lists bring them down St. Charles Avenue to Canal Street, which marks the Quarter's edge. Here is how the main areas compare, using the City Council's 2026 route descriptions:
| Where you sleep | On which parade routes | Good for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBD, St. Charles from Canal to Harmony Circle | Mid-City (Endymion) and the Uptown routes | Seeing every superkrewe without moving | The busiest stretch on the big nights |
| Canal Street | Uptown routes (mostly the 400 to 600 blocks), Mid-City route (700 to 4000 blocks) | Wide sidewalks, short walk to the Quarter | You see each parade near the end of its route |
| Garden District / Lower St. Charles | Uptown routes, plus Zulu from Jackson Avenue down | More relaxed crowds, historic hotels | Endymion's route ends downtown, a ride away |
| Uptown near Napoleon Avenue | Start of the Uptown routes | Local atmosphere, parades pass here first | Far from the French Quarter |
| French Quarter | No superkrewe routes | Atmosphere, walk to Canal in minutes | Car access limited at peak times to residents, hotel guests, restaurant-goers, taxis and rideshares |
| Mid-City (Canal and Carrollton) | Endymion's route only | Endymion Saturday | Not on the Uptown routes |
New Orleans & Company backs the same split: Uptown for "more relaxed" crowds, Canal Street for "wider sidewalks and neutral grounds" and easy access to the French Quarter.
Want the citywide picture first? Browse New Orleans hotels by area.
What are the rules on the parade route?
The City's 2026 rules: ladders must stand six feet back from the curb, and tents, grills and other open flames, generators and upholstered furniture are banned on the route. You also may not rope off public space. Parking is restricted along routes two hours before and after each parade.
These are the rules visitors break without meaning to:
- No roped-off "reserved" spots. You will see people try. The City does not allow enclosing public space with ropes or makeshift barriers.
- Don't park on or beside the neutral ground, the grassy median where the streetcar runs. The City tells drivers not to park there.
- Don't plan around the streetcar. In 2026 the RTA suspended the Canal Street and St. Charles streetcar lines from the Thursday of the final week through Mardi Gras Day and ran a 24/7 bus bridge instead. Bus detours start two hours before each parade.
- Arriving by car to a French Quarter hotel? At peak times in 2026, entry was limited to residents, hotel guests and people heading to restaurants or permitted events, plus taxis and rideshares. Have your booking confirmation ready.
The route rules are the ones the City Council published in January 2026, and the streetcar and French Quarter details come from the City's February 2026 announcement. Check the 2027 versions when they appear.
How do you get to New Orleans for Mardi Gras?
Fly into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), then take a taxi or rideshare in. Aim to land by Thursday, February 4, before the Muses night and the street closures of the final weekend, and fly out on Ash Wednesday, February 10, the morning after.
Streets along the routes close before each parade and parking restrictions run two hours either side, so the ride in takes longer on a parade day. Land in the morning if you can.
Price the flights now, alongside the room, so you can see the whole cost of the week before you commit. Our guide to how far in advance to book international flights covers the timing.
Search flights to MSY for February 4 to 10: compare fares.
Plan this trip
- See the trip we built: a 7-day New Orleans Mardi Gras plan, February 4 to 10, 2027
- Plan your own for free: tell Navoy your dates, budget and what you want from the week, and it builds the day-by-day itinerary around the parades. The free plan covers up to three trips of up to 14 days each. Start free
- Hotels in New Orleans: compare live prices
- Flights to New Orleans: search flights to MSY, February 4 to 10
- Still choosing an area: browse New Orleans hotels
Frequently asked questions
What day is Mardi Gras 2027?
Tuesday, February 9, 2027. Mardi Gras always falls 47 days before Easter, which is March 28 in 2027. Lundi Gras is Monday, February 8, and Ash Wednesday is February 10. The New Orleans Carnival season opens on January 6, so in 2027 it lasts five weeks.
Is the 2027 Mardi Gras parade schedule out?
Partly. As of October 2, 2026, New Orleans & Company lists 46 parades by date for 2027, with a note that final dates and routes are coming soon. The City has not set official 2027 start times; Endymion's own site says 4:00 pm on February 6. The big krewes generally keep the same weekday slots each year, so Endymion is listed for Saturday, February 6 and Bacchus for Sunday, February 7.
What is the best place to stay in New Orleans for Mardi Gras?
The Central Business District near St. Charles Avenue, between Canal Street and Harmony Circle. The City's 2026 route lists put that stretch on both Endymion's Mid-City route and the Uptown routes used by Bacchus, Orpheus and Rex. Uptown and the Garden District are calmer but miss Endymion.
How many nights do you need for Mardi Gras in New Orleans?
Five or six nights covers the peak: arrive Thursday, February 4 for Muses and leave Wednesday, February 10. That gets you Endymion, Bacchus, Orpheus, Zulu and Rex. If you only have a weekend, prioritize Friday and Saturday nights, which fill first.
How do you find cheaper places to stay for Mardi Gras?
Widen the search beyond the parade route and walk or ride in. Parade-route hotels are the scarce ones: New Orleans & Company says they book up a year in advance. Compare rooms a few blocks off St. Charles and Canal, book refundable, and check the rate's conditions before paying.
Sources
- New Orleans & Company, future Mardi Gras dates - Mardi Gras on February 9, 2027 and February 29, 2028; the 47-days-before-Easter rule and the February 3 to March 9 range
- New Orleans & Company, Mardi Gras 2027 parade schedule - the 46 provisional 2027 parades and their dates (22 from February 3 to 9, 13 from January 29 to 31), the January 6 (Twelfth Night) start, and the "coming soon" note on final dates and routes
- New Orleans City Council, 2026 Mardi Gras season information - 2026 start times and routes (published January 29, 2026), the route block lists behind the where-to-stay table, including Zulu's Central City route, and the ladder, tent, grill and rope rules
- City of New Orleans, 2026 Mardi Gras public safety announcement - French Quarter entry limits, the 2026 streetcar suspension and bus bridge, and bus detours starting two hours before parades
- City of New Orleans, NOLA Ready Mardi Gras transportation - parking restricted along routes two hours before and after parades, and no parking on or alongside the neutral ground
- New Orleans & Company, hotels on the Mardi Gras parade route - "Hotels on the parade route book up a year in advance" and the Uptown and Canal Street descriptions
- The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate, Mardi Gras 2025 hotel numbers (syndicated, March 10, 2025) - New Orleans & Company occupancy figures for the 26,000 downtown and French Quarter rooms: nearly 87% average and 95% on the Saturday in 2025, 81% average in 2024. New Orleans & Company has not published these on its own site
- New Orleans & Company, FAQs - more than 26,000 hotel rooms in the downtown area
- New Orleans & Company, February 2026 CEO update - 2026 occupancy expected "in the mid-to-high 90 percent range", final data pending
- Krewe of Endymion - the 2027 parade on Saturday, February 6, beginning at 4:00 pm on Orleans Avenue
- Krewe of Endymion, Endymion Extravaganza - Extravaganza on Saturday, February 6 in the Caesars Superdome, after the parade
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, federal holidays - Presidents' Day (Washington's Birthday) on February 16, 2026 and February 15, 2027
Easter 2027 (March 28) and Ash Wednesday (February 10) were computed with the standard Gregorian Easter algorithm and match New Orleans & Company's February 9 date. All figures verified 2 October 2026.
Related articles
- Carnival 2027 Dates: Rio, Venice, New Orleans
- Rio Carnival 2027: What It Costs
- Venice Carnival 2027: Dates and Access
Going for Fat Tuesday? Plan the trip free, then compare live prices - Navoy: your AI Travel Agent
About the Author
Ranym Garali
Ranym is the Marketing and Content Lead at Navoy. She's been writing about travel for two years and digs into the data behind each piece, flight prices, visa rules and what people are actually searching for , so the advice holds up in practice.
