Revelers catch beads from a float in the 2023 Krewe of Proteus parade during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Feb. 20, 2023. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images) Mardi Gras, which is French for "Fat Tuesday," happens on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday — the first day of Lent and a period of fasting and penance for many Christians.Fat Tuesday, also referred to as Shrove Tuesday, falls on Feb.
21 this year and comes from the tradition of using up the eggs, milk, and fat in one's pantry ahead of the 40-day Lenten fast, the Farmer's Almanac explains.
In New Orleans, the two weeks before Fat Tuesday are the most festive with parades, dazzling floats, and costumed celebrants in masks.
Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a similar festive event that happens each year before Lent, drawing millions of people to the city streets.