Carnival season officially begins on Jan. 6 or Twelfth Night. Most parades don't start until a few weeks before Mardi Gras Day, which can fall as early as Feb. 5 or as late as March 9.

If this is the year you’re going to make your Mardi Gras dreams come true, you can book your trip to New Orleans here (if your travel dates are less than a year away.) You can also find future Mardi Gras dates here.