Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, commences this year on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. But while the New Orleans holiday and the city’s famous parade prove far from Denver, the Mile High City has plenty of ways to celebrate right here.
For starters, get a king cake. Next, hit up a crawfish boil and dig in like they do in the South. Or, join one of the many fetes around the city, beads and masks encouraged. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Where to Get King Cake
Serve up King Cake for Mardi Gras. Source: Depositphotos
Before there were beads and copious amounts of booze there was king cake. In fact, this treat has been around since the Middle Ages, used as a way to celebrate the Catholic holiday, Three Kings Day (January 6).
Today the rich dessert is often made with a sweet buttery pastry and coated in green, yellow and purple frosting. The colors have meaning too, green symbolizes faith, purple is power, and yellow stands for justice.
There’s also a little plastic baby inside the cake, and who ever finds it is crowned king for the day and is said to have extra luck all year.
Rhinelander Bakery
For $31.98 you can take home a traditional king cake in four festive flavors including cinnamon, strawberry cream cheese, almond and plain cream cheese. The cakes come with a plastic baby to hid inside, and beads to help you celebrate. As a bonus, a portion of all king cake purchases gets donated the local Red Cross. 5721 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada.
Maggie and Molly’s Bakery
Find a gluten-free king cake laced with cinnamon at this Denver bakery. Choose from two types, a classic king cake in small or large ($50 or $75) or the gluten-free version ($42), which has more of a coffee cake flavor and texture. Both come traditional colorful icing and lots of beads on the side. 2908 E. 6th Ave., Denver.
Katherine’s French Bakery & Café
Given that Katherine’s is a European-style bakery and the king cake came to New Orleans via France, it’s not surprising the Denver staple makes one. Customers muse pre-order the cake, and can pick it up from the bakery. Filling flavors include cinnamon-sugar, raspberry chocolate, pecan or almond fillings. Each cost between $48 and $54, and come complete with a feathered mask, beads, and the iconic plastic baby. 728 S. University Blvd., Denver.
Top Mardi Gras Events
Source: Depositphotos
Denver may not be as exciting as New Orleans when it comes to Mardi Gras, and really, who is, but there are many ways to celebrate the carnival season right here.
From full blown parties to a parade to a Mardi Gras murder mystery, hit up one of these events on and near the holiday.
Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Celebration at Spangalang Brewery
Indulge in mouthwatering crawfish boil flavors (all-you-can eat for $20) while enjoying ice-cold craft beers straight from the tap and a live performance at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4. Admission to the concert is FREE, allowing everyone to experience the magic of live jazz.
For those seeking an enhanced and seated experience, exclusive table reservations are available for sale, offering premium seating and a complimentary drink to complement your evening of musical bliss. Get tickets or reserve a table here. 2736 Welton St., Denver.
Mardi Gras Party at the Louisville Underground
Join the FREE Mardi Gras party in Louisville on Saturday, March 1, and hear Bourbon Brass Band starting at 8 p.m. Dress up and celebrate until 11 p.m. Just make sure to register your spot via Eventbrite for a free ticket. 640 Main St., Louisville.
Mardi Gras Masquerade Party at Stanley Marketplace
Bring your friends and family for a night of festive fun with beads, masks, face painting, fortune telling and live music by the Mile High Brass Band, setting the mood from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4. Don your most dazzling mask! 2501 Dallas St., Aurora.
Nola Voodoo Tavern
Celebrate Mardi Gras at Nola Voodoo Tavern. Photo by Nola Voodoo Tavern
On Fat Tuesday head to one of the biggest Mardi Gras parties in the city. The tavern opens at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 4 and the owners plan to celebrate like they did in their hometown of New Orleans until closing.
There will be a Louisiana crawfish boil, drink specials, live music and more. Entry is FREE, but reservations are recommended. 2231 Bruce Randolph Ave., Denver.
Live Brass Band March in Arvada
Photo: Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District
Get into the NoLa groove in Olde Town Arvada on Tuesday, March 4 with a live show by Guerrilla Fanfare. The FREE event starts at 5:30 p.m. right in front of Carly’s Boutique. As they roam playing through the pedestrian mall in Olde Town Arvada, the band will be stopping along the way for lively jam sessions until 7 p.m. Starting at: 7401 Grandview Ave., Arvada.
Mardi Gras Celebration at Call to Arms Brewing Company
Celebrate on Saturday, March 1 starting at noon. Call to Arms’ all-day festivities include a Gumbo and Crawfish Broil at 1 p.m.. The Tiny Float Parade with GUFA Brass Band begins at 4 p.m. sharp and lasts about 20 minutes. 4526 Tennyson St., Denver.
Bikes and the Big Easy
Mile High Harley-Davidson in Aurora hosts a FREE party from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 1. Enjoy FREE red beans & rice from Tastebud Bullies, king cake, festive drinks, beads and fun. While there, check out our Pre-Owned Extravaganza and the latest from H-D. 16565 E. 33rd Dr., Aurora.
Traditional Mardi Gras Feasts
Aside from king cake, the other traditional food eaten in New Orleans at this time is crawfish. Namely, a crawfish boil. We already mentioned Nola Voodoo Tavern is having one during it’s all-day fete (and the crawfish come in fresh, straight from Louisiana), but here are some other spots dishing out the shellfish.
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar
Oysters are an aphrodisiac. Photo by Linnea Covington.
Gear up on March 4 for NoLa-inspired food and drink specials at all five locations of Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar. We’re talking hush puppies ($5), gumbo ($5), blackened catfish ($20), chargrilled oysters ($20 for six), crawfish jambalaya fried rice ($16) and beignets ($7). Plus all the French-themed cocktails, including a Hurricane for $12. Let the good times roll. Find your location and make a reservation here.
Stoney’s Bar and Grill 15th Annual Crawfish Boil
Get your crawfish boil on at this lively bar where 1,000 pounds of Louisiana crawfish will be served on Saturday, March 1 starting at 12 p.m.
Orders come in two- and five-pound increments ($30 to $60), and come with corn, sausage, mushrooms, and potatoes.
Join the party for FREE, crawfish or not, and hear Blue Krewe play live from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
If looking to eat, make sure to get a ticket ASAP, the event sells out each year. Ticket sales end Tuesday, Feb. 25 at midnight and no walk-up tickets will be sold on event day. 1111 Lincoln St., Denver.
Nola Jane’s Birthday Party
Although a few days before Mardi Gras, Nola Jane Restaurant and Bar celebrates its birthday with a crawfish boil and drink specials all day.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and you can make reservations.
Nola Jane also hosts a Mardi Gras Party on Tuesday, March 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. There will be live music all night. 1435 Market St., Denver.
Get Some Mardi Gras Bling
- 128 Pcs Mardi Gras Accessories Party Favors Set: 8 pcs Sequin Mardi Gras Masks in 3 designs. 24 pcs Purple, Green, and Gold Mardi Gras Beads Necklaces and each color has 8 pcs. 72 pcs Purple, Green, and Gold Mardi Gras Coins and each color has 24 pcs. 8 pcs Mardi Gras Head Boppers, 8 Mardi Gras Temporary Tattoo Sheets (128 pcs) in 16 designs and each design has 8 pcs tattoos, 8 pcs Mardi Gras Rubber Bracelets. These Mardi Gras costume accessories can perfectly complement any Mardi Gras costume.
- Color & Designs: In traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold, the Mardi Gras plastic coins feature comedy and tragedy masks on one side and a crown on the other. These Mardi Gras headbands, Mardi Gras tattoos, and rubber bracelets feature fleur-de-lis, masquerade masks, crowns, comedy and tragedy masks, jester hats, Mardi Gras top hats, jester mask, maraca, feathers, and "MARDI GRAS". Fun Mardi Gras head boppers are accented with tinsel, feathers, and satin ribbon flutter.
- Size: Each Mardi Gras masquerade mask measures about 8.5" x 3.1" with an elastic band. Each Mardi Gras beaded necklace has a circumference of 31" with 7mm beads. Colorful Mardi Gras coins measure about 1.4" in diameter. Each Mardi Gras head bopper measures about 8.7" tall. Each Mardi Gras temporary tattoo measures about 1.5" in diameter. Mardi Gras rubber bracelets measure about 2.9" circ. These Mardi Gras party accessories can fit kids, teens and adults.
- ⚜️ TATTOOS FOR MARDI GRAS THEMED DECORATION: MARDI GRAS TATTOOS for people who love Mardi Gras, Festival, Carnival. Featuring 10 sheets with 105 pcs of lovely, fun and colorful design. Each sheet measures 6.1 * 3.1 inches. You can temporarily tattoo them on your body or objects such as phones, bottles, laptop…
- ⚜️ FUN GIFT FOR MARDI GRAS BIRTHDAY PARTY DECORATIONS SUPPLIES: MARDI GRAS TATTOOS for themed party, outdoor parties, birthday parties, school rewards and other party events. MARDI GRAS are also interesting and lovely gifts for your children. Complement your unique collection with a MARDI GRAS tattoo!
- ⚜️ SAFE AND QUALITY: We use safe, quality to create durable and long-lasting tattoos. These are non-toxic materials, ensuring safety for all skin types. This product is not recommended for individuals with sensitive skin. We advise testing the product on a small patch of skin, such as the hand, to check for any allergic reactions to the ingredients before applying it to other areas of the body.
- MARDI GRAS BOA - 6 feet long / 72 inch - Made of premium quality fluffy feathers. You will love this huge oversized green, purple, & yellow boa for you Mardi Gras outfit, for women and men.
- SET OF 2 - Perfect set for Couple's Mardi Gras costume. This is a unique accessory to your Mardi Gras costumes women & men. Suitable for adults, teens, and kids.
- ACCESSORY - These Mardi Gras Feather Boas, are the perfect way to provide the finishing touch your Mardi Gras costume, for women and men alike and add a little extra pizzazz to your Mardi Gras Masquerade party
- 72 Pack - There are 3 Mardi metallic colors and 24 pcs of each color. Each necklace is 33" long and has 1/4" beads
- FESTIVALS: Fun party favors for Mardi Gras festival at New Orleans!, these small metallic beads are a must have to pass out to your guests or toss from balconies and floats
- MASQUERADE - Host a fun Mardi Gras celebration with this colorful bead assortment. The beads can also be used with Mardi Gras Mask to glam up special Mardi Gras party costumes.
- ★ Beaded Mardi Gras Earrings: Carnival is the time in Louisiana when we’re allowed to go a little crazy with our outfits and accessories, and our statement earrings fit you like a queen to wear on parade day! Available in 5 styles Carnival themed earrings, including crown earrings, mask earrings, flower earrings and letter earrings. Womens - be beauty, accessorize, no Carnival celebration would be complete without those finishing touches
- ★ Handmade Carnival Earrings: Let the good times roll! These beaded dangle earrings are attractive with a clash of purple, gold and green, embody the colors, spirit, pride and true feeling. Add fun and shine to your Fat Tuesday outfits it can make you wear more elegant and charming, will definitely attract people's attention at the party and become the most dazzling person
- ★ High Quality Holiday Earrings: Our elegant mask drop earring is the perfect accessory for your Carnival parade outfit! It made of high quality beads, rhinestones, alloy and felt materials, nickle free, lead free, lightweight and comfortable to long time wear. Length: about 2.2-2.5inch. They are so fashionable and fun, which would looks really adorable with a pair of our leggings
Last update on 2025-02-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API