(Flickr user Dave Herholz). Outside of New Orleans, St. Louis claims to host the United State's largest Mardi Gras party. Founded by the French some 250 years ago, the Soulard district—a Here are four Mardi Gras celebrations beyond New Orleans worth checking out. Advertisement Note that officially Mardi Gras 2024 takes place on February 13, but the Carnival season begins as early as the first week of January in some locations, with the largest parades and parties happening around the weekend of February 10-11. Here are five places outside of New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras this season. Mobile, Alabama. Unlike New Orleans’ Mardi Gras parades, which take place throughout the city’s many St. Louis holds the No. 1 spot as the best place to celebrate Mardi Gras outside New Orleans, even though it has only been doing so since 1980. St. Louis has a strong French heritage, having been This year, the theme park will celebrate Mardi Gras for two months, from Feb. 1 to March 30. During that time, you can enjoy a nightly Mardi Gras parade, New Orleans jazz bands strolling the park The Queen of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. New Orleans is Mardi Gras, and preparations begin in early January with events scheduled for weekends leading up to this year’s Mardi Gras, Tuesday, March Lawn Love conducted a study in the summer of 2022 that ranked the Top 10 best places to celebrate Mardi Gras outside of New Orleans. The study ranked 200 U.S. cities from best to worst (1-200) based on their overall scores (out of 100 points), averaged across weighted metrics. Pack Your Beads for the Best Mardi Gras Parties Outside of New Orleans You don't need to be in the Big Easy to celebrate Fat Tuesday. By Liz Newman. Updated on Feb 6, 2024 at 12:31 PM. From costumed pet parades to secretive society balls, these are the best places to celebrate Mardi Gras outside New Orleans. St Louis, Missouri It may be almost seven hundred miles from New Orleans, but St. Louis is firmly at the top of the Mardi Gras alternative list. Located just 80 miles from the gaiety in New Orleans, Baton Rouge’s Mardi Gras offers a similarly-authentic experience that boasts floats, fancy balls, entertainment, and more. The annual parade is designed for the whole family and features quirky enhancements such as lawnmower-pushing krewes and costumed canines, alongside more traditional This year, the theme park will celebrate Mardi Gras for two months, from Feb. 1 to March 30. During that time, you can enjoy a nightly Mardi Gras parade, New Orleans jazz bands strolling the park, and concerts on most Friday and Saturday nights. All of these are included in the cost of your ticket. Mardi Gras Tips from NOLA Locals: What to Know Before You Go Essential Mardi Gras Advice from NOLA Insiders. New Orleans comes alive during Mardi Gras in ways that are impossible to capture until you’ve seen it with your own eyes. You don't have to visit the Big Easy to go big for Mardi Gras. From Alabama to Washington, D.C., check out these 14 places to join the fun outside of New Orleans. Selene follows Dionysus. Aphrodite at 6:00 p.m. in Houma. Saturday, March 1, 2025: NOMTOC at 10:45 a.m. on the Westbank. Iris at 11 a.m. in Uptown New Orleans Mardi Gras balls were exclusive events closed off from most people outside of New Orleans society until this krewe revolutionized the event. In 1949, Edward Brennan Sr. created the krewe, a carnival Ball open to tourists. Want to hear live music in New Orleans during the 2025 Mardi Gras? Here are highlights. left, and Big Chief Juan Pardo pose outside Tipitina's in New Orleans on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022.
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