Mardi Gras Beyond the Big Easy
- Apryl Thomas
- Jan 12
- 4 min read
New Orleans may get all the attention when it comes to Mardi Gras, but, truth be told, plenty of parades and celebrations happen throughout Louisiana that are just as unique, funky and memorable as the towns and cities they take place in.
Check out the following five destinations for some Mardi Gras fun.
Lake Charles
Louisiana's second-largest Mardi Gras fete takes place in the southwest part of the state. Lake Charles and the surrounding area host their fair share of parades, some with elaborate floats and all with creative costumes.
And that's just the beginning of the fun.
There's also a gumbo cook-off (Feb. 14), a lighted boat parade (Feb. 14), a Second Line Stroll (Feb. 17 ) and more.
Eat Up: Perfect as a meal or snack, boudin (pronounced "boo-dan") is a Cajun/Creole sausage made with cooked rice, pork, liver, onions, and seasonings. The Southwest Louisiana Boudin Trail highlights local food establishments, specialty meat shops, and grocery stores in the area offering the delicacy. Be sure to try the cracklins with a side of Steens for dipping.
Lafayette
Experience the "greatest free party on earth" in Lafayette. The city hosts various parades and events, like the Krewe de Canailles Walking Parade (Feb. 6), the Courir de Mardi Gras (Feb. 8) at Vermilionville, and the Le Festival de Mardi Gras à Lafayette (Feb. 13 -17), which features carnival rides, live music, and much more.
The "Hub City" also allows you to visit Acadiana's surrounding communities to experience parades and festivities from Iberia Parish (be sure to check out New Iberia's King Cake trail) to the Cajun Mardi Gras Festival (Feb. 13 -17) in Eunice, with five full days of parades, chicken runs, live music and other Mardi Gras festivities.
And let's not overlook Cankton's Courir De Mardi Gras (Feb. 14), complete with live music, a gumbo cook-off and more - another short drive from Lafayette.
Immerse Yourself: From Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve-Acadian Cultural Center to Cajun Food Tours, there are numerous ways to learn about and engage with Cajun culture. You can even learn the Cajun two-step, if you dare.
Baton Rouge
The capital city has all the ingredients for a good party: colorful floats, King Cake-inspired treats and lots of local quirky flair. How quirky, you might ask. Simple answer: Some parades include lawnmowers, flamingoes and Dimple the golf ball.
Through Fat Tuesday, family-friendly celebrations include the all-female Krewe of Artemis nighttime parade (Feb. 6), Mid City Gras (Feb. 8) with a krewe of squirrels and a lawnmower brigade and the Krewe of Shenandoah (Feb. 16), featuring Dimple the golf ball.
There's also the Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival (Feb. 14), featuring live music from various genres, a Vendor's Village, and a food court.
Don't forget about nearby parades, like Gonzales' Krewe of Ascension's Mardi Gras Mambo Parade (Feb. 7) and the Krewe of Comogo Parade (Mar. 2) in Plaquemine.
Height Matters: Louisiana is home to the tallest state capitol building in the country.
Commissioned by the extremely colorful governor Huey P. Long, the Louisiana State Capitol was completed in 1932 and stands 450 feet high with 34 floors and an observation deck on the 27th floor.
Long was assassinated here in 1935 and is buried on the grounds.
Admission is free.
Monroe-West Monroe, La.
It may only be one day (Feb. 7), but there is plenty of Mardi Gras joie de vivre to experience in the twin cities of Monroe and West Monroe.
Festivities kick off with the Krewe of Janus Children's Parade at Pecanland Mall, featuring creative floats and costumes, and for spectators, there are throws of beads and candy. In the afternoon, there's the Krewe of Paws Pet Parade in downtown West Monroe, which doesn't discriminate regarding a man's or a woman's best friend(s).
Beads, cups and more throws fly as the Krewe de Rivere Parade rolls later in the afternoon, and if you didn't catch what you wanted, you'll have a second chance in the evening during the Krewe of Janus Parade.
DYK: Delta Airlines may be based in Atlanta, but its beginnings can be traced back to Monroe.
Learn how what began as a crop dusting business grew into an international powerhouse inside Chennault Aviation & Military Museum.
Northshore/St. Tammany Parish
It's hard to out-parade the Northshore/St. Tammany Parish given that numerous parades roll throughout the nine towns during the season.
Among those include the Krewe of Eve (Feb. 6) in Mandeville, and be on the lookout for their prized throws, LED light-up throws and glittered apples. And speaking of sweet throws, the Krewe of Olympia Parade (Feb. 7) is a lightning bolt.
For something different, there are boat parades like the Krewe of Tchefuncte (Feb. 7) in Madisonville, and Abita Springs hosts a Push Mow Parade (Feb.8).
Pets are also part of the Mardi Gras celebration and the Mardi Paws Parade (Feb. 22) in Covington and the Krewe Du Pooch (Feb. 28) in Mandeville.
Let's Hike (or Bike): Check out the Tammany Trace, the former Illinois Central Railroad corridor. The 31-mile asphalted trail extends from downtown Covington through Abita Springs, Mandeville and Lacombe and ends in Slidell, with plenty of points of interest along the way. There's also an equestrian trail that parallels the Trace.