"Mardi Gras" (French for Fat Tuesday) is the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is the final day of Carnival, the three day period preceding the beginning of Lent, the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday immediately before Ash Wednesday (some traditions count Carnival as the entire period of time between Epiphany or Twelfth Night and Ash Wednesday)

Mobile's Carnival and Mardi Gras celebrations revolve around mystic societies. The mystic societies are organizations, very similar to a krewe in New Orleans, that presents parades, masked balls, and activities for the enjoyment of its members, guests, and the public. Mystic society membership is secret. The mystic societies build colorful Carnival floats and parade throughout downtown Mobile during the Carnival season with masked society members tossing small gifts, known as throws, to the parade spectators, in the form of trinkets, candy, cookies, peanuts, panties, artificial roses, stuffed animals, doubloons, cups, hats, can coolers, Frisbees, medallion necklaces, bead necklaces of every variety, and Moon Pies. Mobile's mystic societies give formal masquerade balls, known as bal masqués, which are almost always invitation only and are oriented to adults. Attendance at a ball requires a strict dresscode, or costume de rigueur, be followed. The dresscode usually involves full-length evening gowns, white tie with tails for invited guests, and masked costumes for society members. The balls feature dramatic entertainment, music, dancing, food, and drinks. Balls are usually based upon a theme which is carried out through scenery, decorations, costumes, and a tableau vivant.

Mobile first celebrated Carnival in 1703 when French settlers began the festivities at the Old Mobile Site. Mobile's first Carnival society was organized in 1704, when Nicholas Langlois founded Societe de Saint Louis, reformed in 1711 as the Boeuf Gras Society (Fatted Ox Society, 1711-1861).

Mobile's Cowbellion de Rakin Society was the first formally organized and masked mystic society in the United States to celebrate with a parade in 1830. The Cowbellions got their start when a cotton factor from Pennsylvania, Michael Krafft, began a parade with rakes, hoes, and cowbells. The Cowbellions introduced horse-drawn floats to the parades in 1840 with a parade entitled, "Heathen Gods and Goddesses". The Striker's Independent Society was formed in 1843 and is the oldest remaining mystic society in the United States.

The idea of parading societies was exported to New Orleans in 1856 when six businessmen, formerly of Mobile, gathered at a club room in New Orlean's French Quarter to organize a secret society, inspired by the Cowbellion de Rakin Society, that would observe Mardi Gras with a formal parade. They founded New Orleans' first and oldest krewe, the New Orleans Cowbellions, which later became the Mistick Krewe of Comus.

Carnival celebrations in Mobile were cancelled during the American Civil War. Mardi Gras parades were revived by Joe Cain in 1866 when he paraded through the city streets on Fat Tuesday while costumed as a fictional Chickasaw chief named Slacabamorinico, irreverently celebrating the day in front of the occupying Union Army troops.

The Order of Myths, Mobile's oldest mystic society which continues to parade, was founded in 1867 and held its first parade on Mardi Gras night in 1868. The Infant Mystics also begin to parade on Mardi Gras night in 1868, but later moved their parade to Lundi Gras (Fat Monday).

The Mobile Carnival Association was formed in 1871 to coordinate the events of Mardi Gras, this year also saw the First Royal Court held with the first king of Carnival, Emperor Felix I.

The Comic Cowboys of Wragg Swamp were established in 1884, along with their mission of satire and free expression. The Continental Mystic Crew mystic society was founded in 1890, it was Mobile's first Jewish mystic society.

The Order of Doves mystic society was founded in 1894 and held its first Mardi Gras ball. It was the first organized African American mystic society in Mobile.

The Infant Mystics, the second oldest society that continues to parade, introduced the first electric floats to Mobile in 1929.

The Colored Carnival Association was founded and had its first parade in 1939, it would later be renamed the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association.

The Order of Osiris, the first gay and lesbian mystic society in Mobile, held its first ball in 1980. The 1st Mobile International Carnival Ball was held in 1995 with every known Mobile mystic society in attendance.

The year 2002 saw Mobile's Tricentennial celebrated with parades representing every known mystic society

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