Is today Fat Tuesday? Yes, it’s time for Mardi Gras!
Here’s what we know about the upcoming dates and more for Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, Lent, Ash Wednesday and Easter:
When is 2026 Mardi Gras date? Is Mardi Gras today? What day is Mardi Gras this year?
Mardi Gras is Tuesday, Feb. 17, in 2026.
When is 2026 Fat Tuesday date? Is Fat Tuesday today?
Fat Tuesday is Tuesday, Feb. 17, in 2026.
When is 2026 Shrove Tuesday date? Is Shrove Tuesday today?
Shrove Tuesday is Tuesday, Feb. 17, in 2026.
What is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras is a celebratory day marking the close of the pre-Lenten season. It’s celebrated in France on Shrove Tuesday − which is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday − according to brittanica.com.
What is Fat Tuesday? What is the meaning?
Fat Tuesday is a feast before fasting for the Lenten season begins, according to dynamiccatholic.com. The concept is to make it easier to fully engage in Lent and experience spiritual growth.
Fat Tuesday actually comes from its traditional name, Shrove Tuesday − where “shrove” means to give absolution to be forgiven. Shrove Tuesday is an invitation to:
Why do they call it Fat Tuesday?
Brittanica.com states Fat Tuesday means the same as the French name Mardi Gras − which comes from the custom of using all the fats in the home in preparation for abstinence and fasting ahead of the Lenten season.
What do Catholics eat on Fat Tuesday?
Foods traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday include:
What is paczki?
Paczki is defined as “a traditional Polish doughnut, filled with jam or another sweet filling and covered with powdered sugar or icing,” according to dictionary.com.
How do you pronounce paczki?
Paczki is pronounced “Pawnch-kee,” according dictionary.com.
What is a king cake?
A traditional king cake is made of a rich brioche dough and has multiple filling options including chocolate, cinnamon and cream cheese capped by a glaze and colored sprinkles consisting of gold, green and purple, according to southernliving.com.
King cakes are baked without a center and have a small, plastic baby figurine in the middle. Each color has a meaning:
When is 2026 Easter date? What day is Easter Sunday this year?
Easter 2026 will be celebrated on Sunday, April 5, for most Christians, predominantly Catholics and Protestants. Some Eastern Orthodox churches continue to use the Julian calendar, which results in a later Easter date (April 12, 2026), according to almanac.com.
Why is Easter 2026 so early this year?
Easter runs early in 2026 due to the calendar system. On the Gregorian calendar, used by most Christian denominations, Easter typically falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, known as the Paschal Full Moon.
When is 2026 Ash Wednesday date? What day is Ash Wednesday this year?
Ash Wednesday is Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2025.
When is Lent 2026? What are Lent dates this year? What date does the Lenten season start, end?
Lent runs Feb. 18-April 2 in 2026, and begins with Ash Wednesday.
“Lent is such an important time for all of us, whether we’ve taken our faith seriously for a while, or if maybe this might be our first Lent in prayer,” Hallow CEO and co-founder Alex Jones said.
“We all have an opportunity to return more deeply to our Father. We all have an opportunity to more fully come home to the God who loves us. It all starts on Ash Wednesday, February 18, when we receive ashes on our foreheads in the Sign of the Cross, remembering that we are dust and to dust we shall return.”
Hallow is “a prayer and meditation app that combines the peace and stillness of meditation with the spiritual growth of contemplative prayer,” according to hallow.com, and Jones said it’s popular during lent. “It’s always our biggest season at Hallow and we see it as a huge opportunity for folks to re-engage with their faith,” he said.
When is 2026 Palm Sunday date? What day is Palm Sunday this year?
Palm Sunday is on Sunday, March 29, 2026, according to Time and Date.
When is 2026 Maundy Thursday date? What day is Maundy Thursday this year?
Maundy Thursday is Thursday, April 2, 2025, according to Time and Date.
When is 2026 Good Friday date? What day is Good Friday this year?
Good Friday is on April 3, 2026, according to Time and Date.
Chris Sims is a trending reporter at Midwest Connect Gannett. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What is Mardi Gras 2026 date? Is Fat Tuesday today? When is Easter, Lent, Holy Week schedule
Reporting by Chris Sims, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
