Feb 17, 2026 - Mardi Gras
On Mardi Gras, we let joy win in New Orleans
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We made it, friends, to the best day in New Orleans — Mardi Gras.
Why it matters: This is our annual reset.
The big picture: The weather has been perfect this year. We needed it after last year's mess that delayed some parades until St. Patrick's Day.
- We've paraded all over town — at schools, at the airport and even in Walmart. We've caught beads we didn't need and cheered like we did.
- We've found love on the parade route — twice — and danced until our feet hurt.
- Our homes are a chaotic mix of beads, glitter and costumes, but we'll worry about that tomorrow.
Today, we choose joy.
- We show off the items we've been crafting all year. We share king cake with strangers and remind ourselves that we are all in this together.
- The potholes will still be there tomorrow. So will the budget debates and the long to-do lists.
- But today, we let the music win.
The bottom line: However you celebrate, we're glad you're here.
Tuesday's schedule
- 5am: Skull and Bone Gang in Treme
- 8am: Zulu
- 8am: Mardi Gras Indian gathering at Dew Drop Inn
- 10am: St. Anne in the Marigny
- 10:30am: Rex, followed by Elks Orleans and Crescent City truck parades
- 11am: Argus in Metairie, followed by the Elks Jeffersonians truck parade
- Noon: Bourbon Street Awards