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Mardi Gras was first celebrated in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the 1800s. After the Civil War It went on hiatus and would be revived and then disappeared again. It wasn’t until 1933 that the tradition of Mardi Gras really took off.
Today, thousands of visitors come to Baton Rouge each year to celebrate Mardi Gras. Baton Rouge Mardi Gras’ traditions are family friendly and focused on feasting and parades. Many restaurants have special menus for the festivities and almost every restaurant and bakery has its own special traditional king cake. You’ll also find king cake bread pudding, filled king cakes, king cake martinis, king cake calzones, crawfish king cakes and more.
Mardi Gras wouldn’t be Mardi Gras without parades. Here’s a list of the parades for 2023. Parents need to know the Spanish Town Parade is not for children but the rest of the parades are.
2026 Parades
- Krewe of Oshun – Saturday, January 31, 2026
- Krewe of Artemis – Friday, February 6, 2026
- Le Krewe Mystique de la Capitale Parade – Saturday, February 7, 2026
- Krewe of Orion – Saturday, February 7, 2026
- Mid City Gras – Sunday, February 8, 2026
- Krewe of Southdowns Mardi Gras Parade – Friday, February 13, 2026
- Spanish Town Mardi Gras – Saturday, February 14, 2026
- Zachary Mardi Gras – Sunday, February 15, 2026
- Krewe of Shenandoah – Monday, February 16, 2026
- CAAWS Mystic Krewe of Mutts – Sunday, February 22, 2026
Parties & Festivals
Baton Rouge is a great place to be for Mardi Gras. There are some fantastic parties, feasts and festivals. The biggest festival is the 13th annual Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival.
The Pre-Party will take place on February 12, 2026 from 7 pm to midnight at the Harry Turner, Jr. Listening Room in Baton Rouge. Hear authentic original music and get a taste of the Deep South.
The Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival is happening on February 14, 2026, from 10 am to 7 pm. Admission is free. There will be a Food Court filled with festival food favorites. It’s lawn seating, so bring lawn chairs.
This annual celebration features continuous live music of various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, gospel, reggae, jazz, pop and rock plus comedy.
There will also be a special screening of a documentary feature film narrated by Henry Turner, Jr., “We’re Doing Down To The Mardi Gras.”
If you’d like to get a Mardi Gras mask, costume, T-shirt or accessory, click here to find a great selection.
Baton Rouge Hotel Discounts
If you’d like to visit Baton Rouge for Mardi Gras, you should consider these hotels. Many have discounted rates and all can be booked by under $100 a night which would definitely save you money on your stay. All of these hotels received a rating of 8 or 9 on a 1 to 10 scale. The prices you see will include taxes and fees.