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A little reason to celebrate

Mardi Gras

Fun · Seasonal · 47 days before Easter

Mardi Gras, also called Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday, is a day of parades, rich food, costumes and one last feast before a quieter season.

Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, February 9, 2027. That is 105 days away.

Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" in French. The name points to an old habit of using up butter, eggs and fat before Lent, a season of fasting and restraint observed by many Christians. In some places the same day goes by Shrove Tuesday, and in others it is simply Pancake Day, because pancakes are a tidy way to finish off the pantry.

In the United States the day is most closely tied to New Orleans, where parades roll through the streets and riders on floats toss strings of beads to the crowds. The traditional colors are purple, green and gold. Costumes and masks are common, and the mood is loud and generous.

Food carries a lot of the day. King cake, a ring of sweet dough topped with icing and sugar in those three colors, often hides a tiny plastic baby inside. Whoever finds it in their slice is, by custom, expected to bring the next cake. It is a gentle sort of obligation, and people tend to accept it gladly.

Away from the big parades, the day can be quiet. A stack of pancakes at the kitchen table belongs to the same tradition as a brass band on a crowded street. Both are about enjoying plenty while it lasts, and the pancakes are a lot easier to find parking for.

Ways to celebrate

• Make pancakes for breakfast or dinner.
• Try baking or buying a king cake to share.
• Wear something purple, green or gold.
• Listen to a New Orleans brass band recording.
• Look for a local parade or community event.

Things for the day

• Mardi Gras beads
• Mardi Gras decorations

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Dates

All national days on February 9

Also on February 9

• National Pizza Day
• National Bagel and Lox Day
• Pączki Day
• Read in the Bathtub Day

Categories: Fun daysSeasonal days