Johnathan Walker:Mardi Gras 2024: New Orleans parade schedule, routes, what to know about the celebration

Revelers and Johnathan Walkerpartygoers, listen up: Mardi Gras season has returned to New Orleans.

Beginning as a religious holiday observed prior to the Christian Lenten season, Mardi Gras has since expanded from a single day of observation to weeks (or months) of partying. The festivals and celebrations in the weeks leading up to the Lenten season are celebrated across the world, from France to Brazil and beyond, but in the U.S., it's most famously found in New Orleans, Louisiana.

New Orleans takes Mardi Gras seriously, with traditions including king cake and parades beginning in January and lasting for weeks until the actual holiday itself.

Whether you're a local, a traveler planning a trip to New Orleans or want to watch the festivities from afar, here's what to know about Mardi Gras parades in the Big Easy this year.

When is Mardi Gras 2024?

This year, Mardi Gras, which translates from French to "Fat Tuesday," is on Feb. 13.

Ash Wednesday is on Feb. 14, the day marking the start of the 40-day Lenten season that culminates with Easter.

Origins of king cake:What to know about the sweet Mardi Gras treat plus a recipe to try

Why does New Orleans celebrate Mardi Gras?

Although it is a Christian holiday now, Mardi Gras is a holiday that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites, according to the History Channel. Mardi Gras, also often called Carnival or Carnaval, is celebrated in countries around the world with large Roman Catholic populations.

Louisiana was colonized first by the French before it became part of the U.S., and has retained strong French and Cajun culture and traditions, including Mardi Gras.

When are the 2024 Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans?

There are plenty of parades all over New Orleans celebrating Mardi Gras, beginning in January and lasting through Mardi Gras on Feb. 13.

Here's when and where to catch these parades, according to Mardi Gras New Orleans. For specific parade routes, click the link on the corresponding parade.

Friday, Jan. 26

• Krewe Bohème: 7 p.m., French Quarter
• Krewe of Titans: 6:30 p.m., Slidell

Saturday, Jan. 27

• Krewe de Vieux: 6:30 p.m., French Quarter
• Krewe of Bilge: Noon, Slidell
• Krewe of Poseidon: 6 p.m. Slidell

Sunday, Jan. 28

• Krewe of Antheia: 1 p.m., Slidell
• 'tit Rex: 4:30 p.m., Marigny
• Krewe of Pearl River Lions Club: 1 p.m., Pearl River
• Krewe of Nefertiti: 1 p.m., New Orleans East

Friday, Feb. 2

• Krewe of Cork: 3 p.m., French Quarter
• Krewe of Excalibur: 7 p.m., Metairie
• Krewe of Oshun: 6 p.m., Uptown New Orelans (Krewe of Cleopatra and Krewe of Alla follows.)
• Krewe of Eve: 7 p.m., Mandeville

Saturday, Feb. 3

• Magical Krewe of Mad Hatters: 5 p.m., Metairie
• Krewe of Pontchartrain: 11:30 a.m., Uptown New Orleans (Legion of Mars, Krewe of Choctaw and Krewe of Freret follows.)
• Knights of Sparta/Spartan Society: 5:30 p.m., Uptown New Orleans (Krewe of Pygmalion follows.)
• Krewe de Paws of Olde Towne: 10 a.m., Slidell
• Krewe of Tchefuncte: 1 p.m., Madisonville
• Krewe of Olympia: 6 p.m., Covington
• Knights of Nemesis: 1 p.m., Chalmette

Sunday, Feb. 4

• Krewe of Barkus: 2 p.m., French Quarter
• Krewe of Atlas: 4 p.m., Metairie
• The Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale: 11 a.m., Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of Carrollton: 12:30 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of King Arthur: 1:30 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of Dionysus: 1 p.m., Slidell
• Krewe of Push Mow: 2 p.m., Abita Springs

Monday, Feb. 5

• The Mystic Krewe of Music: 6 p.m., Westbank

Wednesday, Feb. 7

• Krewe of Druids: 6:15 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of Nyx: 6:45 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
• The Krewe of Nandi: 6 p.m., Westbank

Thursday, Feb. 8

• Krewe of Symphony: 6:30 p.m., Metairie
• Knights of Babylon: 5:30 p.m. (Knights of Chaos and Krewe of Muses follows.)

Friday, Feb. 9

• Krewe of Bosom Buddies: 11:30 a.m., French Quarter
• Krewe of Hermes: 5:30 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe d'Etat: 6:30 p.m,. Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of Morpheus: 7 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of Selene: 6:30 p.m., Slidell

Saturday, Feb. 10

• Krewe of Iris: 11 a.m., Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of Tucks: Noon, Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of NOMTOC: 10:45 a.m., Westbank
• Krewe of Endymion: 4:15 p.m., Mid-City
• Krewe of Bush: 9 a.m., Bush
• Krewe of Isis: 6 p.m., Kenner

Sunday, Feb. 11

• Krewe of Athena: 5:30 p.m., Metairie
• Krewe of Okeanos: 11 a.m., Uptown New Orleans (Krewe of Mid-City follows.)
• Krewe of Thoth: Noon, Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of Bacchus: 5:15 p.m., Uptown New Orleans

Monday, Feb. 12

• Krewe of Centurions: 6:30 p.m., Metairie
• Krewe of Proteus: 5:15 p.m., Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of Orpheus: 6 p.m., Uptown New Orleans

Tuesday, Feb. 13 (Mardi Gras)

• Krewe of Argus: 11 a.m., Metairie (Krewe of Elks Jeffersonians follows.)
• Krewe of Zulu: 8 a.m., Uptown New Orleans
• Krewe of Rex: 10:30 a.m., Uptown New Orleans (Krewe of Elks Orleans and Krewe of Crescent City follows.)
• Covington Lions Club: 10 a.m., Covington (Carnival in Covington follows.)
• Krewe of Folsom: 2 p.m., Folsom