The crowds are a boost for New Orleans’ tourist-driven economy, which was hammered in 2010 by the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Mardi Gras celebrations lead into Ash Wednesday and the pre-Easter season of Lent. This year, the Twitterverse seems conflicted about what to give up, but some are toying with a big sacrifice: staying off Twitter for 40 days.
Upcoming Mardi Gras Dates:
| 2011 | March 8 | 2018 | February 13 | |
| 2012 | February 21 | 2019 | March 5 | |
| 2013 | February 12 | 2020 | February 25 | |
| 2014 | March 4 | 2021 | February 16 | |
| 2015 | February 17 | 2022 | March 1 | |
| 2016 | February 9 | 2023 | February 21 | |
| 2017 | February 28 | 2024 | February 13 |
