Mardi Gras is a colorful and vibrant celebration that includes delicious and culturally rich foods, street parties and parades, and “krewes” handing out various festive trinkets. Whether you’re visiting the most popular spot or the site of the country’s first celebration, here are the top 5 U.S. cities to celebrate Mardi Gras. New The largest and most famous Mardi Gras celebration in the USA is in New Orleans, where Fat Tuesday is a legal holiday. NOLA has been celebrating Mardi Gras since the early 18th century and the Visit Lake Charles. In Lake Charles, a three-hour drive from New Orleans, Mardi Gras events kick off in early January with the Twelfth Night celebration.Over 50 krewes that call Lake Charles home present their royal courts at this inaugural event, and the following weeks are filled with parades throughout the city leading up to the biggest celebration of all on Fat Tuesday: the Krewe of Krewes Here are four other U.S. cities that celebrate Mardi Gras in style. Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama. Enjoy the spectacle of a nighttime parade in Mobile, Alabama — Photo courtesy of Visit Mobile. Home of the first Mardi Gras celebration in America, Mobile proudly continues to honor long established traditions with parties, masked balls, and The state capitol pays homage to its most famous city with a series of Mardi Gras parades that draw thousands of spectators each year. While other cities’ Mardi Gras celebrations can get rowdy, many of Baton Rouge’s celebrations welcome revelers of all ages. Some krewes host Mardi Gras parades to benefit different organizations. To find out, Lawn Love ranked 2023’s Top Mardi Gras Cities. We compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities by the number of Mardi Gras events, Cajun food vendors, costume stores, and community interest, among eight total metrics. Use our rankings to find the best city to let loose ahead of Fat Tuesday on Feb. 21. In this article. City rankings; The Lasting from February 14 to March 4, Mardi Gras in Venice tends to be more exclusive than some of the rowdy street parties in other cities. The famous Venetian masks – traditional masquerade face coverings designed to conceal the identity of the wearer and level any societal hierarchy at the parties – are central to the celebrations, which Consequently, New Orleans ranked at the top of best cities to celebrate Mardi Gras in 2023, with an index score of 52.96. Meanwhile, three out of the top ten U.S. cities for Mardi Gras in that Criteria for Selecting the Best Towns for Mardi Gras. To ensure our list of Mardi Gras destinations is unbiased and accurate, we used three main factors to decide which cities to include: Festivities. As you’re likely aware, Mardi Gras is a celebration that revolves around elaborate parades, costumes, music, and food. But other than The Big Easy, which U.S. cities are best for celebrating Fat Tuesday? To find out, Lawn Love ranked 2022’s Best Cities for Mardi Gras (Besides New Orleans). We looked for cities with plenty of Mardi Gras events to attend, bars to quench your thirst, and Cajun and Creole restaurants to satisfy your appetite, among six total factors. Top 5 Cities to Visit During Mardi Gras (Besides New Orleans) Mardi Gras is a magnificent celebration of Carnival that most famously takes place in New Orleans each year. While no one can beat the New Orleans festival , it is not the only city that knows how to throw a Fat Tuesday celebration in a spectacular fashion. Celebrate Fat Tuesday at Vegan Mardi Gras! Enjoy delicious vegan food, craft beer, shopping, live music, and more. Dance along to a live Mardi Gras band straight from New Orleans. Catch sustainable throws in lieu of beads. Plus, the two most festive attendees will be crowned Mardi Gras royalty! Guests can start the celebration early with a half-price happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. featuring specials like $6 Abita Purple Haze beers and half-off everything (excluding shots). Stick around for FREE music bingo beginning at 8 p.m. ⏰ When: Tuesday, March 4 | 5 p.m. – close. 📍 Where: 2683 N. Halsted St. Mardi Gras Madness at Blue Bayou Shrove Tuesday is celebrated in many different forms the world over, from Pancake Day in the UK to Carnival in Brazil and huge Mardi Gras celebrations in the US and beyond. Literally translating from the French as Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras is the first day before lent (a period of fasting for 40 days and [] Mardi Gras, a vibrant celebration full of color, music, and revelry, is an annual event that draws millions of visitors to cities around the world. In 2025, this festive occasion promises to be even more spectacular. Nowadays, however, the carnival portion has been magnified into a full day of partying, and many cities in the US simply don’t hold back when it comes to this yellow, green, and purple celebration. Here are the five best Mardi Gras parties to live it up this year on Fat Tuesday (February 28th) and the weekend beforehand. Top Mardi Gras Cities & Hotel Pricing. The five most popular cities for Mardi Gras celebrations in 2025 are expected to be New Orleans (Louisiana), Mobile (Alabama), Galveston (Texas), Lafayette (Louisiana), and Pensacola (Florida). The site computed composite scores for 200 U.S. cities based on their rankings in three differently weighted categories: partying (number of Mardi Gras events and festivals; party supply stores Top Mardi Gras Cities & Hotel Pricing. The five most popular cities for Mardi Gras celebrations in 2025 are expected to be New Orleans (Louisiana), Mobile (Alabama), Galveston (Texas), Lafayette (Louisiana), and Pensacola (Florida). Mardi Gras is a lively celebration filled with parades, colorful costumes, and delicious food. While New Orleans is the most famous place to celebrate this festive day, other cities also offer fantastic Mardi Gras experiences. Here’s a look at some of the best cities to enjoy Mardi Gras outside of New Orleans.
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