Mardi Gras needs little introduction as the festival in Louisiana is a vibrant celebration of culture, traditions, music, parades, and colors, showcasing the state’s vibrant spirit. Mardi Gras season takes place every year, January through February or March (Mardi Gras day changes each year). Across the entire state of Louisiana, everyone is celebrating—experience family-friendly parades to traditional Cajun celebrations called Courir de Gras, where masked revelers take to horseback and ride through Eunice, Mamou and Iota, Louisiana.
Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French and represents the season of Carnival celebration. Every year, Mardi Gras season begins on Twelfth Night, which is January 6, 2025. Twelfth Night represents the Christian holy day of the Epiphany. The season, which represents a time of celebration before Christian Lent, lasts until Fat Tuesday. Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras Day, is March 4, 2025. Between January 6 and March 4, enjoy parades, king cake, community celebrations, and more all across Louisiana.
North Louisiana
At the top of the boot, north Louisiana offers its own unique and distinct take on Mardi Gras. From fishing and game hunting to cards and dice to antiques, wine and culture, you can truly choose your own adventure here.
Shreveport- Take a short drive to Shreveport to enjoy endless Mardi Gras festivities. One of their stand-out parades is the Krewe of Barkus and Meoux Pet Parade, which features a royal court of pets. Past parade participants included turtles, donkeys, cats, dogs, goats, chickens and more!
Monroe- Bring the whole family over to Monroe for a kid’s parade, pet’s parade, a Mardi Gras 5K complete with king cake, and a traditional Mardi Gras parade with marching bands and colorful floats.
Central Louisiana
Come to central Louisiana to see all the wide variety of cultures in Louisiana come together. There is incredible music to enjoy, Civil War history to witness and visitors can even walk the same path taken by Solomon Northup during his 12 years as a slave.
Alexandria- The Alexandria Mardi Gras has been formally functioning since 1994. Locals celebrate with a variety of parades, including the Pineville Night of Lights Parade. The illuminated floats coming over the bridge linking the two cities are stunning. The Town of Woodworth Parade welcomes any and all entries from go-karts and wagons to horses, tractors or trikes. The Hixson Classic Cars and College Cheerleaders may be the area’s best-known event.
Southwest Louisiana
As the home of Zydeco music, fantastic food and fais-do-do dance parties, the locals take having a good time pretty seriously. When it comes to Carnival season, the area is most famous for the Courir de Mardi Gras. Though medieval France is where it all began, capitaines of Mardi Gras can still be found leading a courir (French for run) to this day. Each community puts its own spin on the run, but across central-southern Louisiana, you will find hordes of participants dressed in special Mardi Gras costumes and running on foot, riding horses or trucks, going house to house and begging for ingredients to make a communal gumbo.
Lafayette- The first recorded celebration of Lafayette Mardi Gras was on February 14, 1869, but the first citywide Mardi Gras observance was not until 1897. All parades end at Cajun Field, where the annual Festival de Mardi Gras takes place with carnival rides, live music and more. If you are a master costume crafter, you may want to partake in the Grand Marais Mardi Gras Association’s annual ugly costume contest.
Houma- If king cake is your favorite part of the season, you will find the sweet treat across the state with plenty of delectable options in Houma. No matter where you get your cake, everyone digging in will keep an eye out for the small plastic baby baked in. If you find it in your piece, you are responsible for buying the next cake. Along with your sweet treat, you will want to hang around for the extensive schedule of colorful parades rolling through the bayou region, both in Houma and nearby Thibodaux.
Lake Charles- On the far west end of the state, you will find Lake Charles enjoying the carnival season. This family-friendly Mardi Gras celebration includes over 60 Krewes participating in their Krewe of Krewes Parade on Fat Tuesday. In addition, be sure to check out how local restaurants and bakeries embrace the season.
Southeast Louisiana
This area of the state is rich in history. These days, the diversity of the region can be seen coming together over jambalaya, classic cocktails, and outdoor adventures.
New Orleans- Experience the vibrant traditions of New Orleans Mardi Gras krewes in the city where it all began. Royal krewes, super krewes, iconic sisterhood krewes, wacky and satirical krewes, and more combine their thematic and cultural exuberance in delivering some of the best Mardi Gras traditions and celebrations in Louisiana. Mardi Gras parades wind through various neighborhoods in New Orleans, with major routes along St. Charles Avenue, Canal Street and throughout the French Quarter.
Baton Rouge- In the capital city, Spanish Town Parade is a vibrant staple of the Carnival season. Starting in 1981 in Baton Rouge, Spanish Town residents partake in a long-time tradition of kidnapping one of the fake lake flamingo decorations and relocating it to their own yard. For locals, the flamingos are a vibrant kick-off to this festive season!
Northshore- Northshore Mardi Gras celebrations are quirky, creative, and high-energy. Marching bands and ornate floats take to the streets. Fancifully decorated boats ride the waves, and costumed pups walk their people. Founded in 1965, the 300-member Krewe of Olympia is the oldest in St. Tammany. Keeping the identity of King Zeus a secret, members ride on floats, trucks and horses interspersed with marching bands from across the Northshore. And yes, there is plenty of Abita beer to be found! A walking parade featuring man’s best friends and their families puts some bark into the Carnival scene. Founded in 1999, the Mystic Krewe of Mardi Paws features dogs sashaying in costume throughout Historic Downtown Covington.
No matter what your favorite part of Carnival is or your experience, there is something for everyone across Louisiana. Enjoy it like a local with great food and entertainment. Come experience the most authentic and diverse Mardi Gras you never knew existed.
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