Leap Day Mardi Gras: Why 2028 Will Be So Unusual

LAFAYETTE, La. (KMDL-FM) - As Mardi Gras 2026 continues to ramp up, we're all getting our Carnival plans in order. What if I told you that coming up in 2028, Mardi Gras will be an extra special one because something will happen that has only occurred once in the past 327 years of Mardi Gras in the United States? In fact, the last time it happened was 1904.

Why Does Mardi Gras Change Every Year?

Mardi Gras doesn’t have a fixed date because it’s tied to Easter, and as we all know, Easter changes every year. Mardi Gras is linked to Lent and is always held the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent in the Christian calendar. Lent lasts 40 days, not counting Sundays, leading up to Easter Sunday.

However, in 2028, something is going to happen with Mardi Gras that hasn't happened for 122 years, "theoretically" giving Louisiana an extra day of Mardi Gras.

READ MORE: The Real Cost of Riding in a Louisiana Mardi Gras Parade

Mardi Gras Is On Feb. 29 In 2028

In 2028, Mardi Gras will fall on February 29, Leap Day, making it one of the rarest Mardi Gras dates possible, and something that is truly a once in a multi-generational occurrence. Mardi Gras will still fall on "Fat Tuesday", it just be on Leap Day, something that hasn't happened in over 120 years.

According to Google, the last time Mardi Gras has fallen on Leap Day, February 29, was all the way back in 1904.

From Google -

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) has fallen on Leap Day (February 29th) in the past, notably in 1904, and will happen again in the future, with the next occurrence being in 2028, a rare but celebrated alignment of the movable Easter-based date with the fixed leap day.

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As David Verisco points out on Facebook "Discussions and calculations indicate it happens roughly every 125 years on average, with the first modern instance scheduled for February 29, 2028 (when Easter will be on April 16, 2028)."

READ MORE: 2026 Acadiana Mardi Gras Parade Schedule

According to a post on Reddit, the probability of Mardi Gras falling on Leap Day is about 0.71%.

Get ready to have a great time for Mardi Gras 2026 and 2027, but leave a little gas in the tank for Mardi Gras 2028 because it's going to literally be one for the records books.