The best places to celebrate Mardi Gras in the USA

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 krewe Twelfth Night Revelers were the first to toss "throws'' in 1870. Beginning on Twelfth Night and ending on Fat Tuesday, dozens of parades are held, including the Chewbacchus sci-fi foot parade in the historic Marigny neighborhood, the Legion of Mars, a salute to military, veterans, and first responders along St. Charles Avenue, Barkus, a costumed canine parade in the French Quarter, the Knights of Babylon with classic flambeaux lighting (gaslight torches) and antique float designs, and the Krewe of Hermes, the oldest nighttime parade. Don't miss two of the most famous krewes: Zulu, famed for its costumes and hand-decorated coconut throws, and Rex, the 153-year-old krewe that parades on Fat Tuesday down St. Charles Avenue. Mardi Gras New Orleans runs through March 4, 2025.

The first actual Mardi Gras celebration in the USA took place in Mobile, Alabama, in 1703, and it was a city clerk named Joe Cain who revived the Mardi Gras tradition in the port city after the Civil War. Joe Cain is honored on Joe Cain Day on the Sunday before Fat Tuesday with parades and a day of revelry. Nearly 40 Mardi Gras parades roll through downtown Mobile during Mardi Gras, including six on Lundi Gras (the Monday before Fat Tuesday) and six on Mardi Gras, with celebrants clamoring to catch beads, trinkets and MoonPies, a sweet treat of graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate. Mobile Mardi Gras is February 14–March 4, 2025.

Since 1934, the Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association has organized the annual Mardi Gras celebrations in southern Louisiana, but the first recorded celebration occurred in 1869. Rural Louisiana towns like Mamou and Eunice partake in Courir de Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday run") on March 4, one of the oldest Mardi Gras traditions in which costumed men roam the countryside on horseback "begging" for ingredients for gumbo by dancing and singing and, if successful, chasing chickens. The Cajun Country celebration culminates with eating gumbo. Lafayette also hosts five days of carnival with parade-goers shouting, "Throw me something, Mister!" hoping to catch trinkets. Le Festival de Mardi Gras á Lafayette is February 28-March 4, 2025.

Louisiana's capital hosts two weeks of Mardi Gras festivities, including fancy balls and nine float-filled parades. Red Stick ("Baton Rouge" in French) French fêtes include a dog parade, the family-friendly all-female marching Krewe of Artemis parade, and the lighted nighttime Krewe of Orion parade. The Krewe of Spanish Town hosts the largest parade on the Saturday before Mardi Gras. Before the parade marches down the historic district, two dozen plywood flamingos are placed in the Louisiana State University Lakes for locals to adopt and display at their homes. Baton Rouge Mardi Gras is February 15-March 4, 2025.

St. Louis' Mardi Gras is hosted in the historic Soulard neighborhood, less than two miles south of downtown St. Louis. The Mardi Gras season starts January 6 with 12th Night. In this evening, local leaders and krewes petition the Mardi Gras organizers to host Mardi Gras with performances and bribes in the form of drinks—and, if successful (they're always successful!)—followed by a parade and the hoisting of the Mardi Gras flag. The fêtes and folly continue in January and February with one dozen events, including a family winter carnival, Cajun food cook-off, the world's largest costumed pet parade, the Mayor's Mardi Gras Ball, and the Grand Parade on Saturday before Fat Tuesday that starts near Busch Stadium and ends at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. Soulard Mardi Gras runs through March 1, 2025.

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First celebrated in 1908 with 17 floats, the Gulf Coast Carnival Association now hosts more than 20 parades along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The carnival season kicks off each year on January 5, with Biloxi Twelfth Night and continues throughout the Mardi Gras season with elaborate balls and parades. Parades include the Annual Biloxi Children’s Mardi Gras Walking Parade in downtown Biloxi, the Krewe of Barkloxi's PAWrade that includes the crowning of a King & Queen of PAWdi Gras, and the Annual Krewe of Nereids Mardi Gras Parade with the all-female Krewe of Nereids, the oldest Mardi Gras krewe on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Carnival on the Coast is January 23–March 4, 2025.

The two-week Mardi Gras festivities take place in Galveston, Texas' historic downtown and beachfront and include parades, balcony parties and concerts. The 20-plus parades range from the traditional, with parades for adults, children, and pets, to the quirky, including The Funky Uptown Umbrella Brigade, featuring nearly 2,000 marchers with decorated umbrellas, the Zaniest Golf Cart Parade with elaborately decorated golf carts and the Art Car & Jeep Parade with dozens of decorated and tricked-out Jeeps. Mardi Gras! Galveston is February 21–March 4, 2025.

Three hours east of New Orleans, the neighboring beach towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach on Alabama's Gulf Coast have been celebrating Mardi Gras since 1978. The two towns now host five festive and family-friendly Mardi Gras parades. From the nighttime Mystics of Pleasure & The Marshalls parade in Orange Beach with a krewe that rides Harley-Davidson motorcycles to LuLu's Mardi Gras Party & Boat Parade, where revelers catch throws hurled from boats, to MoonPies on Main, a children and pets parade by day and float parade by night, this is one of the most unique Mardi Gras celebrations outside Louisiana. Mardi Gras is March 1–4, 2025.

The first Mardi Gras celebration in the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle dates to 1874. Annual festivities start with the Pensacola Mardi Gras Kick-Off Celebration in early January. The family-friendly fun continues with parades throughout February and early March, including the largest, the five-hour Pensacola Mardi Gras’ Grand Mardi Gras Parade, on March 1 and concludes with the Fat Tuesday Celebration in Seville Quarter featuring a crawfish boil and jazz brunch, the coronation of new Mardi Gras royalty, and a drag show. Pensacola Mardi Gras runs through March 4, 2025.

Panama City Beach combines Mardi Gras fun with the beach, sugar white sand and sun at its annual Panama City Beach Mardi Gras and Music Festival. A highlight of the celebration is the Krewe of Dominique Youx's lively parade down the beach. The two-day family-friendly festival also includes a children's parade, a 5K fun run, beachfront fireworks, and live music, including a concert with country music star Chris Janson. Panama City Beach Mardi Gras and Music Festival is February 14–15, 2025.

It's miles away from the epicenter of Mardi Gras, but this Orlando theme park annually rolls out the beaded carpet for two months of Mardi Gras fun. Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval includes music, festive food and a nightly 35-minute parade featuring floats from New Orleans. Revelers can sign up to ride on the floats. Festival-goers can sample foods inspired by carnival celebrations worldwide, including beignets from New Orleans. Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval is from February 1–March 30, 2025.

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Theme park Busch Gardens Tampa Bay celebrates Mardi Gras for nearly two months with parades, food, jazz and fun. The celebration includes a parade of musicians, stilt walkers and a "Bead Balcony" where revelers can vie to catch beaded necklaces. Festive food options include Louisiana-inspired treats like an andouille sausage po' boy, crawfish étouffée and Hurricane (light and dark rums, triple sec, Monin Red Passion Fruit, and citrus juice). Mardi Gras at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay runs through March 2, 2025.

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Since 1944, politicians and Louisianians have gathered for a Big Easy-style Mardi Gras celebration in the nation's capital. The Mystick Krewe of Louisianians hosts an annual carnival ball with food, pageantry and dancing. A royal court is announced each year, and the sold-out event is an homage to the spirit of Mardi Gras. Washington Mardi Gras is January 25, 2025.

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The West Coast gets in the spirit of Mardi Gras with a huge three-day party in the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego, California. Revelers wear purple, gold and green plus accessorize with boas, beads, capes and crowns. At this adults-only celebration, each person gets a Mardi Gras passport for self-guided club and bar crawls and parties. Tickets include admission to 20 bars, restaurants and clubs along Fifth Avenue and eight shots. Gaslamp Mardi Gras is February 28, March 1 and March 4, 2025.

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For 14 years, the spirit of Mardi Gras has been celebrated in Georgia's capital at the Atlanta Mardi Gras Ball. At this adults-only ticketed event, revelers are encouraged to wear tuxedos, ball gowns, and masks. The five-hour party includes food, drinks, music, and dancing. Highlights of the evening include the traditional Second-Line Dance and table decorating contest. Atlanta Mardi Gras Ball is February 22, 2025.