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Mardi Gras is here, and New Orleans is ready to celebrate! But could the annual festivities get interrupted by inclement weather? As participants prepare to flood the streets and party all day, some are wondering if they can even move forward with the celebration. Below, learn more about Mardi Gras and how New Orleans is celebrating the day in 2025.
What Does Mardi Gras Mean?
“Mardi Gras” is French for “Fat Tuesday.”
What Is Mardi Gras?
Originating in Medieval Europe, the Catholic tradition calls for participants to consume rich foods, especially various meats. In New Orleans, the annual celebrating goes on for weeks as part of Carnival leading up to the Christian Lenten season.
When Is Mardi Gras 2025?
Mardi Gras falls on March 4, 2025, before Ash Wednesday.
New Orleans Mardi Gras Parades
Though various parades and other festivities were scheduled throughout New Orleans on March 4, harsh weather has threatened those. Some have been canceled, according to multiple reports.
The following are parades that were scheduled to take place in various areas of New Orleans:
Krewe of Argus: Metairie
Krewe of Zulu: Uptown New Orleans
Krewe of Rex: Uptown New Orleans
Covington Lions Club: Covington
Per NBC News, the Zulu and Rex parades were scheduled to begin earlier than planned due to the inclement weather. All Carnival parades in the Jefferson Parish, however, were canceled.
“Due to the forecasted high winds and potential threat to public safety, we have made the difficult decision to cancel parades on Mardi Gras Day,” Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said in a public statement. “This is disappointing but our top priority is ensuring the well-being of everyone in our community, and we must always prioritize safety above all else.”
Winds up to 60 miles per hour are threatening the region thanks to ongoing harsh weather in the South. According to NBC News, tornadoes could potentially reach an EF-2 rating, and winds could range between 111 to 135 miles per hour.
New Orleans isn’t the only one facing an inconvenience. North and South Carolina were ravaged by multiple wildfires days before Mardi Gras.
