Short answer: Mardi Gras 2027 is Tuesday, February 9, 2027 in New Orleans, with the super-krewe weekend landing on the days before — Endymion on Saturday Feb 6 at 4 PM, Bacchus on Sunday Feb 7 at 5:15 PM, and Orpheus on Lundi Gras Monday Feb 8.
The 2027 parade schedule is published at mardigrasneworleans.com and the season runs more than four weeks from Twelfth Night through Fat Tuesday. The easiest way to handle Mardi Gras 2027 is a chauffeured car on hourly booking, with the same driver taking your group to the parade, to the krewe ball, to the French Quarter and back to your hotel without anyone circling for a space or waiting on a rideshare surge.
Mardi Gras 2027 at a glance
The full 2027 schedule, published at mardigrasneworleans.com, runs like this:
- Twelfth Night, Wednesday, January 6, 2027: the season opens with the Phunny Phorty Phellows streetcar ride (7:00 PM Uptown), the Krewe of Joan of Arc (7:30 PM French Quarter), and the Société Des Champs Elysée (7:30 PM French Quarter).
- Saturday, January 9: the first Saturday parades of the season, with the Krewe of Chewbacchus the following weekend (Saturday, January 16 at 7:00 PM in Marigny).
- Friday, January 22 — Sunday, January 24: Krewe du Vieux (Saturday Jan 23 at 6:30 PM in the French Quarter) opens the satirical parade weekend, followed by the Krewe of Cork wine parade (Friday Jan 29) and the family Saturday (Jan 30) of Pontchartrain, Freret, Sparta and Pygmalion uptown.
- Wednesday, February 4: the all-women Krewe of Muses parade at 6:00 PM uptown — one of the most-watched parades of the season and a perennial favorite for parade-goers.
- Saturday, February 6: the super-krewe Saturday. Krewe of Iris at 11:00 AM uptown, Krewe of Tucks at noon uptown, Krewe of Endymion at 4:00 PM in Mid-City, all per mardigrasneworleans.com.
- Sunday, February 7: Krewe of Thoth at noon uptown and Krewe of Bacchus at 5:15 PM uptown, the celebrity-led second super-krewe night.
- Lundi Gras, Monday, February 8: Krewe of Proteus at 5:15 PM uptown and Krewe of Orpheus at 6:00 PM uptown, plus the riverside Lundi Gras celebration at the Mississippi Riverwalk.
- Fat Tuesday, Tuesday, February 9: Krewe of Zulu at 8:00 AM uptown, Krewe of Rex at 10:30 AM uptown, the daytime parades of Mardi Gras Day. The two Metairie daytime parades roll the same morning (Krewe of Argus at 11:00 AM, Krewe of Elks Jeffersonians follows). Mardi Gras Indians take to the streets in the afternoon, with the city thinning out by evening.
The 2027 schedule is published; the celebrity monarchs for Bacchus and Orpheus are typically announced in November and January. For the live updates, watch mardigrasneworleans.com.
Book early for Mardi Gras week
The carnival is the single biggest event of the New Orleans calendar, and Hotel rooms inside the CBD and the French Quarter book first, the airline seats into MSY next, and the chauffeured cars go last because most visitors do not realize how much rideshare surge pricing can run on Mardi Gras weekend.
The smart move is to book carnival transportation in the same week you book your hotel. Booking early locks in three things:
- The vehicle you actually want. The fleet runs heaviest the week of Endymion. Last-minute callers take whatever is left, which is usually a sedan when the group needs a Sprinter.
- The all-in price. Jazzy Limousine & Shuttle quotes the all-in number up front. Gratuity and fuel surcharge are already in the rate, so the bill the dispatcher reads at the end of the night is the same number the group agreed to when they booked.
- The same chauffeur for the whole week. Mardi Gras groups usually want the same driver for Endymion Saturday, Bacchus Sunday and the krewe ball, and that only happens when the booking is on the books before the week of.
Why a chauffeured car is the easy way to do it
The Mardi Gras street grid shifts twice a day on parade days, and the same closures that make the parade work also make it impossible to get picked up on the parade route. A rideshare driver who has not done Mardi Gras will pull up on St. Charles Avenue at 4 PM Saturday and sit in the same Bourbon Street traffic you are trying to skip. A chauffeured car does three things a rideshare cannot:
- Your driver knows the closure map. Uptown closures run from Napoleon Avenue to Canal Street on St. Charles, with cross-street closures that shift by the hour. The legal drop-off for Endymion Saturday is on the Mid-City side streets off City Park Avenue; the legal drop-off for Bacchus Sunday is on the uptown cross streets off St. Charles. Your chauffeur sets the pickup spot before the parade starts and walks you to the curb.
- The car stays with your group. The hourly rate is for the car, not the trip. The same driver takes the group from the hotel to the krewe ball, from the krewe ball to the parade, and from the parade back to the hotel, with the meter in the trunk and no per-trip surge.
- The price is the price. Jazzy Limousine & Shuttle quotes the all-in number up front. There is no surge, no meter, and no surprise charges. The price quoted at booking is the price on the receipt.
Transportation rates (all-in, six-hour minimum)
The carnival is booked hourly with a six-hour minimum, all-in with gratuity and fuel surcharge. The six-hour block covers the full super-krewe Saturday — the parade, the krewe ball, and the after-party — in one reservation.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Per hour, all-in | 6 hours, all-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan | up to 2 | $91.00 | $546.00 |
| Premium Sedan | up to 2 | $110.50 | $663.00 |
| SUV | up to 6 | $123.50 | $741.00 |
| Premium SUV | up to 6 | $162.50 | $975.00 |
| Executive Sprinter | up to 14 | $195.00 | $1,170.00 |
| Limo Sprinter | up to 12 | $260.00 | $1,560.00 |
| Stretch Limo | up to 8 | $195.00 | $1,170.00 |
| Limo Party Bus | up to 24 | $373.75 | $2,242.50 |
| Limo Party Bus XL | up to 30 | $520.00 | $3,120.00 |
| Executive Bus | up to 23 | $273.00 | $1,638.00 |
| Executive Bus XL | up to 32 | $357.50 | $2,145.00 |
| Motorcoach | up to 56 | $617.50 | $3,705.00 |
The six-hour minimum covers the full super-krewe Saturday — the parade, dinner, and the Endymion Extravaganza after-party — in one reservation, with extra time billed at the same hourly rate.
Split across a full Executive Sprinter for up to 14, three hours is about $42 a person and six hours is about $84 a person, which is cheaper than two rideshare trips during a Mardi Gras surge. Split across a Limo Party Bus for up to 24, three hours is about $47 a person.
A weekend itinerary
For most out-of-town groups, Mardi Gras 2027 is a long weekend. The Saturday-Sunday-Monday super-krewe block is a popular booking pattern:
- Friday, February 5: arrive at MSY, settle into the hotel, dinner in the French Quarter. An airport transfer on Friday evening and a three-hour French Quarter loop is the easiest start.
- Saturday, February 6: Endymion Saturday. The Krewe of Endymion rolls at 4:00 PM in Mid-City, per mardigrasneworleans.com. The six-hour block starts at 1 PM, drops the group at a pre-parade bar on the route, picks them up after the parade, runs them to the Endymion Extravaganza at the Convention Center, and gets them home after the show.
- Sunday, February 7: Bacchus Sunday. The Krewe of Bacchus rolls at 5:15 PM uptown. The same six-hour block pattern drops the group for lunch, takes them to a pre-parade balcony, picks them up after the floats pass, and runs them to dinner in the Quarter or back to the hotel.
- Lundi Gras, Monday, February 8: Orpheus Monday. Krewe of Orpheus rolls at 6:00 PM uptown, with the riverside Lundi Gras celebration on the Riverwalk during the day. A three-hour block works for Orpheus alone.
- Fat Tuesday, February 9: Rex Day. Krewe of Zulu rolls at 8:00 AM and Krewe of Rex at 10:30 AM uptown. The full Mardi Gras Day usually starts with a coffee-and-beignet pickup at the hotel, runs the uptown parade route twice, and ends with the group home by mid-afternoon.
For groups that want the whole season, Jazzy Limousine & Shuttle can stage a different car for each weekend from Twelfth Night (January 6) through Fat Tuesday (February 9), with the same dispatcher handling every booking.
From MSY
MSY (Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport) is about 30 minutes from the French Quarter and the CBD, and the curb fills up fast the week of Mardi Gras. The all-in airport rate is $126.50 in a sedan, $165.50 in an SUV, $204.50 in a Premium SUV, and $278 in an Executive Sprinter for up to 14. Your chauffeur tracks the flight, so a delayed arrival does not cost you the car, and meets the group inside at baggage claim.
For the return, the same driver who dropped the group at the hotel on Friday picks them up at the hotel the following Tuesday or Wednesday, so the only thing the group has to do on departure day is walk out of the lobby.
Picking the right vehicle for your group
- Couples (up to 2): a sedan or premium sedan. The most affordable way to the parade and back, $273 all-in for three hours.
- Families and friends (up to 6): an SUV or Premium SUV. Six adults and a few drinks fit comfortably, with room for a costume and a clear stadium bag.
- Group of friends (up to 14): an Executive Sprinter. The most popular booking for a Mardi Gras group that wants to ride together from the hotel to the parade to the krewe ball.
- Krewe-ball group (up to 12): a Limo Sprinter. Mood lighting, sound system, and room for the costumes.
- Big group or corporate krewe (up to 24): a Limo Party Bus. Perimeter seating, room to stand, and a sound system that starts the night in the car.
- Chapter or corporate krewe (up to 30): a Limo Party Bus XL. The biggest costume-ready vehicle in the fleet.
- Whole-krewe charter (up to 56): a Motorcoach for the entire krewe in one vehicle.
Where the car picks up and drops off
For Endymion Saturday in Mid-City, the legal drop-off point is on the side streets off City Park Avenue, usually on Metairie Cemetery or on the Dublin Street side. Your chauffeur sets the pickup spot before the parade starts and walks you to the curb. The Endymion Extravaganza at the Convention Center is a separate ticket, and your driver drops the group at the Convention Center entrance on the north side.
For Bacchus Sunday uptown, the legal drop-off is on the uptown cross streets off St. Charles Avenue, usually on Felicity Street or on Thalia Street for groups that want to skip the St. Charles crowd. Your chauffeur confirms the spot with the group before the night starts.
For Orpheus Monday on Lundi Gras, the legal drop-off is on the uptown cross streets off St. Charles again, with the riverside Lundi Gras celebration on the Riverwalk as the daytime warm-up.
For Mardi Gras Day uptown, the legal drop-off is on the uptown cross streets off St. Charles Avenue, with the parade running from Napoleon Avenue to Canal Street through the day. Your chauffeur sets a moving pickup as the parade progresses, so the group can step off the curb and back into the car without walking back to a fixed spot.
For groups flying in, the pickup is at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), inside baggage claim or at the rideshare pickup zone, depending on the terminal. Your chauffeur tracks the flight and meets the group at the agreed curb.
Super-krewe routes at a glance
Every super-krewe in Mardi Gras 2027 follows a published route, and the route determines where your chauffeur can legally drop off. The route maps below are simplified from the published krewe pages; the official maps on mardigrasneworleans.com are the source of truth and your chauffeur carries the printed map for the night.
- Krewe of Endymion, Saturday Feb 6 at 4:00 PM Mid-City. The Endymion parade begins on the uptown side of the route, loops through Mid-City on the Orleans Avenue neutral ground, and finishes near the New Orleans Convention Center on Convention Center Boulevard. The legal drop-off for Endymion is on the side streets off City Park Avenue, with the Convention Center as the staging point for the after-party. Plan to be staged by 3:30 PM, because the streets close at 2 PM.
- Krewe of Bacchus, Sunday Feb 7 at 5:15 PM uptown. Bacchus begins at Napoleon Avenue and Tchoupitoulas Street, per kreweofbacchus.org, then runs up St. Charles Avenue to Canal Street and into the CBD. The legal drop-off for Bacchus is on the uptown cross streets off St. Charles, usually Felicity, Thalia or Laurel. The Bacchus After-Party is a separate ticket at the New Orleans Convention Center.
- Krewe of Orpheus, Lundi Gras Monday Feb 8 at 6:00 PM uptown. Orpheus begins at Napoleon Avenue and Tchoupitoulas Street (same staging as Bacchus) and runs the uptown route along St. Charles Avenue to Canal Street. The legal drop-off for Orpheus is the same uptown cross-street pattern, with the riverside Lundi Gras celebration on the Riverwalk as the daytime warm-up before the krewe rolls.
- Krewe of Rex, Mardi Gras Day Tuesday Feb 9 at 10:30 AM uptown. Rex closes out the daytime parade schedule on Mardi Gras Day, and the route is the same Napoleon-to-Canal uptown run that the daytime parades have followed since 1872. The legal drop-off for Rex is on the St. Charles cross streets, with the Rex ball following the parade.
For the daytime Mardi Gras 2027 schedule, Krewe of Zulu rolls at 8:00 AM uptown and is the unofficial start of Mardi Gras Day, with the famous Zulu coconut hand-painted and thrown from the floats. Zulu runs the uptown route on Mardi Gras Day before Rex, and the streets fill by 7:00 AM.
Krewe balls
The carnival is a krewe-ball week as much as it is a parade week. The big krewe balls are ticketed separately and held at hotels and ballrooms across the CBD:
- The Krewe of Bacchus Ball, Sunday Feb 7: the Bacchus ball is at the New Orleans Convention Center, with the celebrity monarch (to be announced in fall 2026 at kreweofbacchus.org) presiding. Black tie, with the krewe's full membership in costume.
- The Krewe of Orpheus Ball, Lundi Gras Monday Feb 8: the Orpheus ball is at the New Orleans Convention Center and runs late into Lundi Gras morning. The Orpheus krewe uses the ball as the warm-up to Mardi Gras Day.
- The Krewe of Endymion Extravaganza, Saturday Feb 6: the Endymion after-party is at the New Orleans Convention Center and is open to ticketed guests. The Extravaganza is a single-venue party, so the same driver drops the group at the gate.
For groups attending a krewe ball, the same hourly booking that covered the parade covers the ball, the after-party and the ride home. The chauffeur stays with the group for the whole block, with the car staged at the Convention Center while the group is inside.
Weather and what to expect
Mardi Gras 2027 falls on Tuesday, February 9, which is mid-winter in New Orleans. The historical February average in New Orleans is a high of 64 °F and a low of 47 °F, with rain possible on roughly one day in three. The full Mardi Gras 2027 weekend typically runs from upper-50s in the morning to low-60s by late afternoon, with the parade nighttime temperatures in the low-50s.
Pack a light waterproof jacket for the parade route and a change of socks if you are standing on St. Charles Avenue for the full six-hour parade day. The chauffeured car is climate-controlled for the blocks between parade viewing and krewe balls, and your chauffeur keeps water and phone chargers in the vehicle for the group.
Mardi Gras 2027 falls during the city's Mardi Gras "season cold snap" pattern, where a single cold front can drop the daytime high into the upper-40s for two or three days at a time. The smartest move is to layer, with a base layer, a sweater, and a Mardi Gras-colored jacket on top. Costumes with capes and wings are fine for the krewe ball; for the parade route, keep the costume light enough to walk in for hours.
Bringing kids
The carnival is more family-friendly than most first-time visitors expect. The Saturday family-parade Saturday (Jan 30) and the daytime parades on Mardi Gras Day are designed for strollers and blankets. The Krewe of Iris on Saturday Feb 6 at 11:00 AM uptown is the all-women parade with the most family groups along the route, and the Krewe of Thoth on Sunday Feb 7 at noon uptown draws a large accessibility-friendly crowd along St. Charles Avenue.
For groups bringing kids, the safest parade viewing is from a hotel balcony on St. Charles Avenue or from a private balcony booked through a krewe. The street-level parade crowd is family-friendly during the day and turns adult-only after sunset. Jazzy Limousine & Shuttle can drop the family at the parade route during the day, stage nearby, and pick the group up before the evening parades start.
For larger families, an SUV or a Premium SUV is the most practical booking. For multi-family groups of up to 14, an Executive Sprinter handles the whole group in one vehicle.
Hotels and where to stay
Most visitors stay in one of three districts:
- The French Quarter is the closest hotel district to the uptown parade start, with the Quarter's hotels running along Bourbon Street, Royal Street and Canal Street. The Quarter fills up first for Mardi Gras 2027, and the balconies on Royal Street and Bienville Street book by Thanksgiving. The Quarter is walking distance to the riverside Lundi Gras celebration on Feb 8.
- The CBD (Central Business District) is the easiest hotel district because the major hotel chains (Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Omni) are clustered around the Superdome and the Convention Center. The CBD is the right home base for groups that want one car to handle the whole weekend.
- The Garden District and Uptown are the closest hotel districts to the uptown parade start. The Pontchartrain Expressway connects Uptown to the CBD, and the same chauffeur runs the same loop every day for the carnival weekend. Magazine Street and St. Charles Avenue are the two main hotel corridors.
For groups that want a single neighborhood that walks to the parades, books with a balcony, and is close to dinner, the CBD is the most-booked district. For groups that want to be inside the noise of the Quarter, the French Quarter is the popular choice. For groups with kids, the Garden District and Uptown are quieter at night and closer to the daytime parades.
Versus Jazz Fest and Super Bowl weekend
Jazzy Limousine & Shuttle runs three of the biggest event weekends of the New Orleans calendar: the carnival, Jazz Fest, and the Super Bowl when it returns to New Orleans. Each has its own pricing rules:
- Mardi Gras 2027 is hourly with a six-hour minimum, all-in. The six-hour minimum is the Mardi Gras standard. Mardi Gras is one of the busiest weeks of the year, and the Saturday-night Endymion car books up early.
- Jazz Fest is hourly with a six-hour minimum plus a $75 traffic fee each way, and multi-day groups receive a 10% discount on the second day and 15% on the third. Jazz Fest is one of the busiest weeks of the year, and the Thursday-first-weekend car books up early.
- Super Bowl weekend is hourly with a six-hour minimum at our standard all-in rates; any special-event adjustments are quoted at booking. The booking lead is two to three weeks when the game is in New Orleans.
For the carnival, the smart move is to book in the same week you book the hotel. The all-in price is locked in, the chauffeur is reserved, and the only thing the group has to plan is the costume.
Cancellation and weather policy
The carnival runs rain or shine. New Orleans Mardi Gras parades have rolled in the rain since 1872, and the only weather that has ever stopped a Mardi Gras parade is a hurricane. The chauffeured car handles the rain (climate-controlled, dry, and parked at the legal drop-off), and the same all-in rate applies whether the night is warm, cold, or wet.
If a group needs to cancel a carnival booking, Jazzy Limousine & Shuttle's standard cancellation policy applies. The all-in deposit is refundable up to 72 hours before the first pickup. Within 72 hours, the deposit is non-refundable but the booking is transferable to another date within the same calendar year, which is the right move for groups whose flights get moved by weather.
Mardi Gras 2027 is the week to book now
Booking early
The carnival is one of the most-booked weeks of the year for Jazzy Limousine & Shuttle, and the Saturday-night Endymion car books up early. The smart move is to book by January, when the full fleet is still open and the all-in price is locked in.
The dispatcher confirms the booking by text the day before, with the chauffeur's name, the vehicle, and the pickup time. The chauffeur confirms by text 15 minutes before pickup. If the night runs long, extra time is billed at the same hourly rate, and the chauffeur lets the group know before the block runs out.
Jazzy Limousine & Shuttle has been running Mardi Gras in New Orleans for more than a decade, and the same dispatcher who takes the booking is the one who calls to confirm the pickup. The chauffeur for the night has worked the carnival before and knows the route, the closures, and the curb. For groups that want one reservation that covers the krewe ball, the parade, the after-party and the ride back, book carnival transportation here.
What riders say
"Love this limousine/ shuttle company! Used them to get around in N.O. during Mardis Gras. Not only was the driver Judah amazing, but he was also very knowledgeable of the area and recommended some great places for me and my girls to try during our stay. 10/10 recommend! I will be back for my dirty thirty and using this company again for my transportation. I heard they supply a champagne bottle for an affordable price for special occasions. Can't wait!" — nytasia, Google review, May 2025
"Awesome drivers and they had some great city recommendations. We used them for Super Bowl and then again for Mardi Gras…and will be back again to use them for Jazz Fest. We can’t wait!" — Victoria, Google review, April 2025
"My husband and I come for Jazz Fest every year. This is the first year we decided to book transportation and thank goodness we did. Parking was a nightmare, so it was great to have a dedicated driver and car waiting for us when we were ready to leave. Jazzy Limousine was a God send. We will be using them again next year for sure!" — Jordan, Google review, May 2025
"Daniel was AMAZING! He gave us a wonderful overview. This was our first visit to NOLA." — Eyvette, Google review, May 2026
"We were visiting NOLA from OKC for my husband's 60th birthday Thursday Jan 12th. Mr. Lenard was on time and ready at JW Marriott to drive us a few places to celebrate. He was very kind and DOPE! Be back soon and will definitely call for your services." — Gail, Google review, January 2023
Book your transportation
The easiest way to do Mardi Gras 2027 is to book the car first and plan the costume second. Jazzy Limousine & Shuttle handles the street closures, the airport pickup, the parade drop-off and the krewe-ball loops on the same all-in hourly rate.
Book your carnival transportation or call 504.320.8448 to lock in the date, the vehicle and the chauffeur. For a season-long reservation that covers Twelfth Night through Fat Tuesday, the dispatcher can stage a different car for each weekend. For groups flying in, see airport transfers. For a private city tour of the French Quarter, the Garden District and the cemeteries, see private city tours. For groups that want to start the night in the car, see party bus New Orleans.