Mardi Gras 2023 is Feb. 21, and Carnival starts up a few weeks earlier, on Jan. 6 as always. 

A shortage of police officers and other municipal workers prompted City Hall to prune blocks from the routes of all New Orleans float parades in 2022. And the treks of several of the city’s foot parades were finalized at the last minute, with some changes to starting and stopping places, depending on workforce availability.