Witnessing Mardi Gras, the giant carnival of a party in New Orleans that happens in Feb/March is certainly a once in a lifetime experience. For first timers, navigating this giant spectacle requires some pro Mardi Gras tips and tricks.
When is Mardi Gras in 2020?
Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday Feb 25 in 2020. But the parties, parades, and celebrations started in mid-January.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans: What to expect?
“Mardi Gras” is French for “Fat Tuesday” and refers to the series of Carnival celebrations that involve eating fat rich food, starting on/after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and ending on the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. Although Mardi Gras is celebrated in some other southern cities such as Mobile, Alabama and St. Louis, Missouri, none of these come even close to the granddaddy of celebrations in New Orleans which attracts thousands of people from all over the world every year.
Expect lots of costumes ranging from colorful to bizarre to French Baroque (anything goes), ornate parades with different themes, dazzling riots of colors, long lines to see those said parades, block parties, lots of drinking and plenty of hustle bustle in French Quarters, the oldest section of New Orleans. The French Quarter is where most of the action is anyway (Bourbon street to be specific).
It’s the world’s biggest free party where everything goes, it is important to stay safe and partake in the celebrations. It also requires quite a bit of planning since this is THE biggest of all attractions in NOLA and has tons of crowds. As a first timer, you might get overwhelmed with so much going on, so here is a handy guide on do’s and don’ts, lots of helpful Mardi Gras tips and parade schedules. Remember, what happens at Mardi Gras definitely stays there but do enjoy responsibly using these Mardi Gras survival tips so that you return with memories of a lifetime and not a total blackout.
How to dress for Mardi Gras?
Prepare for any and all weather! New Orleans is prone to seeing all 4 seasons in one week. I would dress for colder than warmer weather, because it does get chilly in NOLA at that time. Layering is your best bet. With Mardi Gras fashion, loud and excessive and the more glitter and color the better. Anything truly goes. Mardi Gras colors are purple, green and gold. Definitely have fun with your outfit! But do remember there is a lot of day drinking involved, so make sure it is practical and comfy!
Mardi Gras Parades schedule and best Mardi Gras parades
Mardi Gras’s star attractions are the parades or floats called “krewes”. There are dozens to choose from and these grand processions begin well in advance of actual Mardi Gras, i.e. more than a month before. These parades/floats/krewes are a spectacle to watch and if you want the best view, scan through the parade schedule and go as early as you can to get the best viewing position because it gets crazy crowded! Here is the whole 2020 Mardi Gras Parade schedule.
Mardi Gras is not just Bourbon St. Mitch and I really enjoy the Uptown parades too! The Uptown route is more family friendly and are almost solely locals. This is a personal preference, but I love experiencing locals life when traveling which is why I suggest these parades instead of the French Quarters. They are equally crazy and fun, just less tourists!
Two popular Krewes during Mardi Gras are Muses (the Thursday night before Mardi Gras, pretty much kicking off the weekend and they throw shoes at you!) and Zulu, the last parade of Mardi Gras at 8AM on Fat Tuesday (known for their coconuts!). Making it to Zulu means you survived Mardi Gras through that weekend and night; usually Zulu-goers come straight from partying through that whole night!
Tips!
Tip #1: When attending the French Quarter parades, make sure to stop by the bustling Pat O’Brien’s bar on Bourbon Street. It is beyond famous and ALWAYS crowded, especially during Mardi Gras – it is my favorite thing to do once each Mardi Gras season – make sure to drink a hurricane! I listed all of my favorite Bourbon Street bars in a blog post here!
Tip #2: You don’t have to take off your top to get beads. This is a common misconception. You will get beads with all your clothes on!!! And I highly suggest to NOT take your top off since you are looking up to flash people on balconies above you, there are usually creeps standing directly in front of you, under the balconies. Stay classy ladies. But if you feel ever so inclined, do you girl.
Tip #3: Do not go to the bathroom on the streets. Yes, you can drink alcohol outside all day everyday in New Orleans due to their open container law. However, they are VERY strict about peeing in public and WILL arrest you. Do not try it! Other than that, you will have an amazing, memorable (or not) time. Try to remember the cultural aspect and history of it while you are partying your life out!
Tip #4: Eat all the king cake. You can only purchase king cake during Mardi Gras so be sure to eat your fill before it will be gone until the next Mardi Gras season. But remember if you get the piece with the baby it is your turn to buy the next one!
Tip #5: Download a parade tracker app. Parade like a pro. Take a look at the routes online ahead of time and keep track of parade progress when you’re on the route or heading out with an app like WDSU’s Parade Tracker.
Mardi Gras is the best time to be in New Orleans. The city is bustling and everyone is full of booze and king cake! You will have fun no matter what parades you attend and what you end up doing! Mardi Gras is all about celebrating! Be safe and have fun!
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