Carnival season is entering its final days, and there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate in St. Pete. Mardi Gras reaches its culmination with Fat Tuesday on February 13, the final celebration before Lent officially begins, offering revelers one last chance at indulgence.
While St. Pete may not have quite the same level of dedication to the season as New Orleans (or Mobile, the original home of Mardi Gras), there are still plenty of places that get into the spirit – and spirits. These are a few of our favorite spots and events to celebrate.
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Did we miss a Mardi Gras celebration? Shoot us an email at info@ilovetheburg.com so we can make sure we add it to the list. Until then, laissez les bons temps rouler!
Legit bayou eats at Cajun Cafe
Cajun Cafe on the Bayou is our go-to in St. Pete any time we want a taste of Louisiana, so no matter when you’re celebrating Mardi Gras, add them to your list. The excellent restaurant is typically closed on Tuesdays, but will be open on Fat Tuesday (reservations only) from 4-9 pm, and Mardi Gras costumes and colors are encouraged (and they’ll have beads on-site).
Mardi Gras at The Galley
Downtown’s “Legit Local” pub is going all out as always, with a full week of fun. From Wednesday, February 7 through Fat Tuesday, February 13, they will have Hurricanes, beignets, jambalaya, etouffee, Sazerac, and “plenty of Abita beer.”
Family-friendly block party in Uptown
The Uptown Mardi Gras Block Party is an excellent neighborhood event for all ages, taking place on Saturday, February 10 from 1-6 pm. It’s a BYOB (bring-your-own-beverage) event, and lawn chairs are encouraged. There will be live bands all afternoon, plus a bounce house and pizza for the kids, as well as creole food and king cake for everyone.
Second Line at Floridian Social Club
Few venues are more decadent than The Floridian, making it the perfect place for Mardi Gras indulgence. The opulent destination is hosting a Mardi Gras party on Sunday from 12-5 pm, featuring live music and a second-line brass band by Boho Sideshow, plus NOLA classic cocktails such as French 75, Vieux Carre, Sazerac, Ramos Gin Fizz, and Frozen Daiquiris.
All-you-can-eat Crawfish Boil at 3 Daughters Brewing
The annual Fat Tuesday crawfish boil at 3 Daughters is one of our favorite yearly events, complete with all you can eat crawfish, sausage, corn and potatoes, plus king cake, Mardi Gras beers, and live Zydeco music. Tickets always sell out, so act fast. The boil runs from 6-9 pm on Tuesday, February 13.
Fat Tuesday at Bar 548
One of our favorite downtown haunts, Bar 548 is going all out to end Carnival season with a “guess how many beads” competition, Hand grenades and Hurricanes, masks and beads, specialty sweets, and king cake shots.
Mardi Gras on Central Block Party
The Grand Central District is hosting its first-ever “Mardi Gras on Central” extravaganza on Sunday, February 18, from 12-5 pm, a full block party taking over Central between 29th and 30th Streets. There will be beads, live music, and local vendors, as well as specials at all the businesses on the block, such as Studio Pub, Mutts & Martinis, and Hawthorne Bottle Shoppe.
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