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It’s time to celebrate Mardi Gras in Williamsburg, Virginia!
The Busch Gardens Williamsburg special event, Busch Gardens Mardi Gras, begins on Friday, January 24, 2025.
It will then run on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (as well as President’s Day) through March 9th.
On Fridays, the park will be open from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The park hours for Saturdays, Sundays, and President’s Day will be 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
And during that time, you’ll be able to experience so much Mardi Gras themed fun!
This includes delicious Cajun food, live entertainment, and even a popular cirque show. Plus, you’ll still be able to ride some of your favorite attractions.
In this travel guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about this unique Mardi Gras party at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. And we’ll let you know how you can save money on admission to this event.
Food & Drinks
There are eight special locations throughout the park where you can get Mardi Gras inspired treats, eats, and drinks. This includes Cajun and New Orleans favorites like Po’boys, Gumbo, Hurricanes, and (my personal favorite) Beignets!
In addition to the special food and drink sections, there will be a new specialty menu fitting the theme of the event over at Bürgermeister’s Hideaway, everyone’s favorite speakeasy located over in the Germany section.
Busch Gardens Mardi Gras Entertainment
Live music, a dance party, and a scavenger hunt are some of the fun things you can enjoy at the event!
Carnaval Imaginique: A Golden Jubilee Spectacular
A cirque spectacular is back for a fourth year – but this year it is a brand new show!
Carnaval Imaginique: A Golden Jubilee Spectacular is a cirque show with a New Orleans theme. Like all great cirque shows, there’s great acrobatics, dancing, and singing. The show takes place at the Globe Theatre over in Busch Gardens’ England section. You’re only able to see this show during the Busch Gardens Mardi Gras event.
The Craw Daddies
This year’s Busch Gardens has brand new entertainment: the Craw Daddies! They’ll be bringing New Orleans-inspired music to Busch Gardens Williamsburg with great rhythms and drumming.
Mardi Street Party
Back by popular demand! You can catch this parade of colorful street performers (like stilt walkers and ribbon dancers) in Ireland. Make sure you try to catch some beads from the jesters! You can also get a great picture of yourself with the krewe in front of a Bourbon Street-inspired backdrop.
New Orleans Jazz Band
If you love New Orleans jazz music, you’ll definitely want to catch a performance by this brass band at Das Festhaus in Oktoberfest.
Samba Jamboree
These court jester drummers, performing in Killarney Village, have a jazzy NOLA rhythm.
Bourbon Street Brigade
Back by popular is a classic rock band performance in the San Marco Theatre. They’ll be playing popular songs by popular artists like Michael Jackson, Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton, and more.
Masquerade Scavenger Hunt
This is an opportunity for the whole family to get involved! It’s a park-wide, Mardi Gras themed scavenger hunt.
Rides & Attractions
A visit to Busch Gardens Williamsburg wouldn’t be complete without some fun rides, would it?
Children can explore and have fun at Sesame Street Forest of Fun, as well as the Land of the Dragons.
Additionally, there will be select roller coasters and rides open throughout the park. Please note weather could dictate which rides are open.
To learn more about what rides are at Busch Gardens, check out our Busch Gardens Williamsburg Guide.
Ways to Save Money on Admission
In order to attend Busch Gardens Mardi Gras, you’ll need park admission. The best way to get discounted park admission is here. There is a great sale going on there where you can save up to 50% on single-day tickets!