Carnival is referred to as the season of celebration before Mardi Gras.  

It officially begins on Jan. 6, which is known as Kings’ Day or Twelfth Night.  It is called this because it falls twelve days after Christmas on the day the Wise men are said to have reached Bethlehem.  Carnival celebrations are in two categories:  public and private.   The private celebrations are balls, held by clubs or krewes.  Some krewes let anyone join, while others are exclusive mostly made up of  FONOF (fine old New Orleans families).  The first Carnival ball of the season is always the Twelfth Night Ball, held on Jan. 6.

Every year, Mardi Gras falls on the Tuesday that is 46 days before Easter.  

It also is the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the Mardi Gras.  Mardi Gras comes at the start of Lent.  There are nine parades in New Orleans related to its French heritage in 1699.  Early explorers celebrated this French holiday on the banks of the Mississippi River. Throughout the years, Orleanians have added to the celebration by establishing krewes.