Mardi Gras is on Tuesday, Feb. 21, and that means it's time for beads, music, king cake and bon temps galore.
Whether you're looking for a family-friendly shindig or a hurricane-fueled rager, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Big Easy style through Fat Tuesday and beyond.
As they say in New Orleans — laissez les bon temps rouler (let the good times roll)!
Where to Buy a King Cake
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Bayou Bakery (Arlington): A Mardi Gras box ($150) comes packed with supplies for a murder mystery party, while festive king cakes ($48, serves 14-16) will be available through Fat Tuesday. You must order 48 hours before pickup. On Fat Tuesday, you can also join Bayou Gras.
Dauphine's (Northwest D.C.): Order a classic king cake or bananas foster king cake ($50), plus bottled cocktails. Pickup on Monday or Tuesday. Each box comes with Mardi Gras beads and a commemorative feve made by Material Things.
Firehook Bakery (Dupont Circle, Alexandria, Chantilly): Order ahead to get a king cake ($28) or a box of Mardi Gras-themed cupcakes, mini chocolate bundt cakes or cookies ($10-$22).
The Great Harvest (Rockville): Many stripes of king cake are available here — order king cake muffins or pastries filled with cinnamon, fruit or chocolate ($15.45 to $32.65).
RavenHook Bakehouse (various farmer's markets): Pick up king cakes at any location through Fat Tuesday.
Mardi Gras Events in Washington D.C.
Mardi Gras weekend on Barracks Row (Friday to Tuesday, 8th Street SE, free): Spirited sidewalk parades on Friday and Saturday accompany specials at certain businesses in Barracks Row.
Mardi Gras Fest 2023 at Black Jack (Friday through Tuesday, Northwest D.C.): This five-day fest is complete with a Mardi Gras-themed cocktail menu, food and plenty of activities. Each night has a different theme such as a masquerade ball, Bayou drag brunch with bottomless mimosas and music spun by DJ Gekko.
Celebrate Mardi Gras at Due South (Tuesday, 4 p.m., Southeast D.C.): Dress up in your favorite Mardi Gras costume to spend an evening of delicious food and dancing. Tickets are $50 and include a signature cocktail or two beers and a New Orleans-inspired Cajun buffet.
Mardi Gras Celebration at Dacha Beer Garden (Tuesday, 6 to 8 p.m., Navy Yard): Indulge in crawfish boil with traditional fixings like corn, potatoes and andouille sausage. Tickets for an all-you-can-eat experience cost $55. Additional all-you-can-drink tickets are $65.
Friday Night Services: Mardi Gras Edition (Friday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m. happy hour, 7 p.m. service, Sixth & I in Northwest D.C.): Rabbi Aaron and musicians Aaron Shneyer, Sarah Fredrick, and Jeff Geld will combine a traditional Jewish service with celebrations of Mardi Gras and music from D.C.-based ensemble DuPont Brass.
Michele's Mardi Gras celebration (Sunday, Feb. 26, noon, Northwest D.C., $95): A ticket to this restaurant celebration gets you unlimited themed cocktails, small bites and live music from the Blues Styles Brass Band.
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras in Maryland
Le Fantome food hall (Friday to Tuesday, Riverdale): Pick up an order of beignets from Sonny and Sons (four for $7), plus $7 hurricanes and French 75 cocktails at the bar of this French bistro-inspired food hall.
Mardi Gras in Virginia
Mardi Graw Shrimp Bowl at Honor Brewing Company (Tuesday, 5 to 8 p.m., Chantilly): Enjoy a traditional shrimp boil. Each ticket gets you two raw oysters, two chargrilled New Orleans-style oysters, gumbo and hushpuppies. Tickets are $50 with $25 add-on options for medium blue crabs.
Bayou Gras at Bayou Bakery (Tuesday, 6-9 p.m., Arlington): This New Orleans-style bakery wants to be your Mardi Gras headquarters. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., then reopen for a bash with live music at 6 p.m. Revelers will purchase tickets upon entry for booze ($22), food ($16) or beer ($18), plus desserts will be available a la carte.
Fat Tuesday Celebration (Tuesday, 8-11 p.m., epiQ Food Hall in Woodbridge, free entry): DJ A-Ron will play jazz and hits, QBar will service hurricane and sazerac cocktails and Bon Mange Cuisine will serve Cajun food. Wear your beads and boas for the 360 photo booth.
Mardi Gras Jambalaya by Cookology (Wednesday, Feb. 22, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Arlington): Learn how to cook classic New Orlean dishes. The tickets are $110 per person and the cooking menu includes jambalaya, bread pudding with bourbon sauce and a hurricane cocktail. Live step-by-step instructions will be provided.
Mardi Gras “Retox Brunch” at Clarendon Ballroom (Saturday, Feb. 25, noon to 5 p.m.): DJs, dancing, $15 champagne specials and more are on tap. General admission is free; request a reservation to get seating. Priority reservations ($25) come with an unlimited buffet, fast entry and extra deals.
Past Events
Free pick — Mardi Gras at The Wharf (Saturday, 3-7 p.m., Southwest D.C.): Laissez les bon temps rouler with a mile-long parade of floats, stilt walkers, the Washington Nationals' racing presidents, Batala Washington drummers and the beloved Eastern High School Marching Band. Afterward, party on the District Pier with the Naptown Brass Band, Thrasher's rum hurricanes and fireworks at 6:30 p.m.
Bake & Take: King Cake Edition (Sunday, 4 p.m., Mess Hall, Northeast D.C.): RavenHook Bakehouse founder Chris Girardot will take you through all the steps to make your own king cake (complete with beads and a toy baby!) while you sip hurricanes and snack on gumbo. Bonus: Everyone leaves with two king cakes!
Mardi Gras at Dauphine's (Sunday, Northwest D.C., $115-$200): The Crush Funk Brass Band, fire spinners, tarot card reading and DJ Harry Hotter will entertain while partygoers savor an open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres and food stations. VIP tickets grant you early entry at 6 p.m.; otherwise, the party starts at 7 p.m.
Samedi Gras at Breaux Vineyards (Saturday, 11 a.m., Purcellville, $15): Live music, beads, king cake, a costume contest and wine are all the ingredients for an early Mardi Gras party.
Mardi Gras Mixology at KO Distilling (Saturday, Manassas, $35): Executive Whiskey Steward Greg Rixon will share the history of three New Orleans cocktails — the Vieux Carré, daiquiris and the Sazerac — and teach you how to make them.
Mardi Gras Brew-Ha-Ha Indoor Beer Festival at Caboose Commons (Saturday, noon to 7 p.m., Fairfax): Sample beers from six breweries. Tasting tickets will cost $3 at the door, or you can get a 10-ticket bundle for $24 on Eventbrite.
Mardi Gras at True Respite (Friday, 4-10 p.m., Rockville, free entry): Zydeco band Little Red and the Renegades will bring the music, Calypso N' Roux will bring Cajun and Caribbean food truck eats and this local brewery will provide a New Orleans-inspired beer.
The Potomac River Jazz Club Celebrates Mardi Gras with Orleans Express of Maryland (Sunday, 1:30-4 p.m., Rosensteel Hall, Silver Spring, Maryland): Grab your Mardi Gras garb for an afternoon to jazz. Students with an ID can go for free. Otherwise, tickets cost $22.50 for nonmembers and $20 for PRJC members before fees.
Lundi Gras Jazz Brunch (Monday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Dauphine's): House jazz trio The Hot Mess will play during a special Monday brunch. You can make reservations on Open Table.
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