If you’re not able to celebrate down in the Big Easy this year, we can create our own New Orleans-style fun from the comfort of our own homes with these flashy and fun Mardi Gras party ideas. This year, Mardi Gras Day, aka Fat Tuesday, falls on March 4, 2025 and signals the beginning of the Easter season. From decor to entertainment to food How to Throw a Mardi Gras Party. You’ll need festive decorations, party games and a spread of delicious food. How to Decorate for Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is known for its bright, tricolor decorations. The traditional Mardi Gras colors are purple to symbolize justice, green to symbolize faith and gold to symbolize power. Balloons, streamers and confetti are great Mardi Gras decorations, but you can keep it as simple or go as over-the-top as you like. The colors of Mardi Gras are green, purple and gold, so festive decorations in that color scheme are lovely and on theme. Have fun! Garnish foods with Mardi Gras party cake toppers. Little bags of confetti are These recipes make any day a party, whether you're whipping up New Orleans classics like shrimp étouffée or an unexpected mash-up like warm gumbo dip. No collection of Mardi Gras recipes would be complete without sweets, like our Praline-Cream Cheese King Cake or King Cake Beignets. Take a look through our recipes for best Fat Tuesday recipes 5. Mardi Gras Party Games. You can’t have a fun Mardi Gras party without fun Mardi Gras party games! Some fun games you can include in your party are: Mask Decorating Competition: Have a mask decorating station with craft supplies like blank masks, beads, feathers, sequins, and drying glue. Have each guest decorate a mask and hold a Mardi Gras revelers usually dress up, especially on Fat Tuesday. Make your Mardi Gras party a masquerade, and ask people to wear masks and costumes. You can pick a theme like a 17th century ball (the attire of choice for many of the Mardi Gras balls in New Orleans), favorite celebrity or even characters from comic books or movies. Let the good times roll with a Mardi Gras party that brings the energy of New Orleans straight to your business! Hosting or sponsoring a Mardi Gras party at a bar or restaurant brings opportunities to connect with clients, strengthen relationships with staff, and give your team a well-deserved break. Some call it Carnival, but in New Orleans the festive celebration is called Mardi Gras, and it's always a party--a big party. The season of Carnival starts on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, and culminates on the day before Ash Wednesday, otherwise known as "Fat Tuesday," which in French is "Mardi Gras." Ready in a little over 30 minutes, these bites are the easiest way to add the fancy factor to any Mardi Gras party. Get the Crab Cake Bites recipe. 2 Cornbread-Stuffed Mussels. Orpheus (Monday before Mardi Gras): Known for creative floats and sought-after throws like four-foot stuffed dragons and custom-decorated tambourines. Zulu (Mardi Gras Day): Beloved for its unique throws, including the iconic hand-decorated coconuts. Rex (Mardi Gras Day): One of the oldest and most traditional parades, featuring a regal Some Mardi Gras costumes include pirates, jester outfits, and alligator costumes. Have a look at how divinediva creations planned a Mardi Gras party. Keep the party going all night! Hosting a Mardi Gras party should be more about the atmosphere than the specifics. You do not need to be in New Orleans to enjoy Mardi Gras. Insider Tips for Mardi Gras 2025 Do I need Mardi Gras Tickets? No need to buy Mardis Gras tickets! The parades and celebrations are completely free. If you’d prefer to watch from the stands, you can purchase tickets to reserve a seat, but it’s not necessary — you can enjoy every parade without spending a dime. Seats are mainly recommended What do you wear to a Mardi Gras party? Mardi Gras is a time to let loose and have some fun. The dress code for Mardi Gras parties can range from casual to dressy depending on the event you are attending. For casual Mardi Gras events, think bright colors, masks, and fun outfits like jumpsuits or rompers. Q: When and where do the Mardi Gras Indians parade? The Mardi Gras Indians only parade on Mardi Gras day and on Super Sunday (generally the 3rd Sunday closest to St. Joseph’s Day in March). The Mardi Gras day routes are not published anywhere, but they happen in and around their inner-city neighborhoods. The Mardi Gras is celebrated on “fat Tuesday,” the day before Ash Wednesday. The calendar dates of the annual festival change each year, but always 46 days before Easter. Consider them a Mardi Gras offering. Costumes Are Encouraged (and Sometimes Required) If you’re not in a wig, sequins, or at least a feather boa, are you even doing Mardi Gras right? And on Mardi Gras day wear a heavy coat, shorts, tank top and sneakers because the weather changes from winter wonderland to summer by noon.- Tamsy Kambi
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