New Orleans is known for many things, but, most of all, this historical city is known for its annual Mardi Gras festival. This annual event is a French carnival celebration that traditionally begins after the Christian holiday Three King’s Day and ends the day before Ash Wednesday.
In New Orleans, the celebration includes parades, music, dancing, masks, various festivities and, of course, the famed beaded necklaces that are thrown around to the party-goers. While South Florida may be far from the French Quarter in Louisiana, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate the carnival and all of its debauchery.
Mardi Gras Crawl (21 and over)
Feb. 6 from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at SHOTS Miami
Hosted by Grub and Pub Tour, this pub crawl includes a walk between local bars in Miami, where participants can see street performers, such as stilt walkers, dancers and live musicians. General tickets are $33.64 and include a beer or shot at each location on the tour. VIP tickets are $61.07 and include one liter of beer at check-in, a beer or shot at every other location and a souvenir mug. Cheaper tickets are also available on Groupon.
South Cape Mardi Gras Trolley Event (21 and over)
Feb. 6 from 7 to 11 p.m. at South Cape
The South Cape Hospitality and Entertainment Associations will host the Mardi Gras Trolley, where participants can stop at 14 businesses in the area for specialty $2.50 drinks that are only available to Trolley riders. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 on the day of the event. Participants will receive Mardi Gras beads upon check-in, enter a drawing for a chance to win a Mardi Gras-themed gift basket and take a shuttle to participating locations. Stops on the trolley route include Back Streets, Cape Coral Brewing Co., Coconuts Bar & Grill, Cruiser’s Lounge, Dixie Roadhouse, Masterpiece Mixers, Monkey Bar & Steak House, Perk and Brew, Rack’em Billiards, Ralph’s Place, Rockade, Dolphin Key Resort Tiki Bar, The Dek and Tubby’s.
17th Annual Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Party
Feb. 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. @ Lulu’s Bait Shack
Lulu’s Bait Shack will, yet again, host their annual Mardi Gras Party, featuring live entertainment and cash prizes. Drink specials will be offered throughout the night and girls who enter the “Best Beads” contest to show off their Mardi Gras costumes and beads will get the chance to win a cash prize. In previous years, the winner received a cruise for two to the Bahamas.
Mardi Gras Pub Crawl for Charity (21 and over)
Feb. 19 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. at Tiki West Raw Bar & Grill
Proceeds from this pub crawl will go to Deliver the Difference, a local non-profit organization that delivers meals to those in need. Participating businesses include Tiki West Raw Bar & Grill, Al’s Sand Bar, Puddle Jumpers, O’keefs Irish Pub, Buster Tubbs, Hemingways Wine & Cigar Bar, Bru Tap House, Lake Dora Sushi and Sake and Pizza Tavares. Food and drink specials will be served at the locations, and there will also be live music. Participants who dress up in Mardi Grass attire will receive a raffle ticket for a prize.
Ménage a 3 First Annual Mardi Gras Concert
March 4 from 10:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. at West Palm Beach Event Hall
The JMF Corporation will host this Kompa and Zouk-style Mardi Gras concert, with live performances by artists Klass, T-vice and 5Lan. Tickets are sold in advance for $30.
Mardi Gras Party
March 5 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at War Memorial Auditorium
Fort Lauderdale’s Zeta Chi chapter of Omega Psi Phi, the first international fraternity founded on a historically black college, will host this party, which will include drink specials, cash giveaways, costume contests, a food buffet from 9 to 11:30 p.m. and music by DJ Gee Smoove. All-inclusive tickets are $35, and proceeds go to the Zeta Chi Chapter Scholarship Fund.
SHOTS Miami
311 NW 23rd St., Miami
War Memorial Auditorium
800 NE 8th St., Fort Lauderdale
South Cape
Cape Coral Parkway, East Cape Coral
Tiki West Raw Bar & Grill
118 West Ruby St., Tavares
West Palm Beach Event Hall
2223 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach
Lulu’s Bait Shack
17 S. Atlantic Blvd. #212, Fort Lauderdale
