16 Flashy and Fun Mardi Gras Party Ideas for 2025
Brittany Anderson
Editor
Mardi Gras season is here and we’re already ordering beads and comparing gumbo recipes in anticipation. If you’re not able to celebrate down in the Big Easy this year, we can create our own New Orleans-style fun from the comfort of our own homes with these flashy and fun Mardi Gras party ideas.
This year, Mardi Gras Day, aka Fat Tuesday, falls on March 4, 2025 and signals the beginning of the Easter season. From decor to entertainment to food and drinks, we’ve got all the Mardi Gras party ideas you’ll need to get in the groove this year.
1. Purple, Green & Gold Everything
Decorate with these classic Mardi Gras colors using streamers, tableware, beads and balloons. Encourage guests to wear or incorporate these colors throughout their Mardi Gras costumes and outfits.
2. Live Jazz or Zydeco Band
If space allows at your Mardi Gras party, you can hire a jazz or zydeco band. You can also play a curated New Orleans jazz playlist or a Mardi Gras themed playlist.
3. Bourbon Street Vibes
Transport yourself to Bourbon Street with a French Quarter-style backdrop. Don’t forget the NOLA inspired street signs, neon lights, and bead-covered chandeliers.
4. DIY Bead Curtain Entrance
Create a curtain of colorful beads for guests to walk through upon arrival. Hang plastic beads in shades of gold, white, purple, and green for a true NOLA ambiance.
5. Mardi Gras Float Photo Booth
Set up an at-home mini float with props for a DIY photo booth. Include Mardi Gras themed props like boas, crowns, and masks for fun pictures. You can also book a photo booth and let them handle it all.
Find a Photo Booth
6. King Cake Tradition
Incorporate the tradition of the King Cake. Bake or order a King Cake, and hide a small plastic baby inside. The person who finds the baby in their slice gets to be "king" for the day.
7. Masquerade Theme
Opt for a fancy Mardi Gras party with a Masquerade theme. Encourage guests to dress up in their best Mardi Gras colored attire and wear elegant masks throughout the night.
8. Voodoo Fortune Teller
Nothing screams New Orleans and Mardi Gras like a little fortune telling. Hire a tarot card reader or fortune teller to interact with guests. You can also set up a DIY fortune-telling booth.
9. New Orleans-Style Buffet
Set up a buffet table with traditional New Orleans style foods like jambalaya, po'boys, and crawfish étouffée. Show off your cooking skills with some jambalaya (which is usually a little simpler than gumbo). You can also read up on the difference between Cajun and Creole to really impress your guests.
10. Beignet & Café au Lait Bar
Set up a station with fresh beignets and chicory coffee. Include a variety of Beignet dipping sauces that are both sweet and savory like chocolate, strawberry, or different types of cheese.
11. Hurricane & Sazerac Cocktails
It wouldn’t be a Mardi Gras party without these two New Orleans favorites. Check out these recipes for Hurricanes and Sazeracs.
If you want to leave the drinks to the professionals, consider hiring a bartender. Many bartenders also offer virtual services so you can have a mixology class during your celebration and learn how to make some New Orleans themed classics.
12. DIY Bloody Mary Bar
Set up a Bloody Mary bar with premade mix and a variety of toppings like olives, shrimp, pickles, and hot sauce. Let party guests mix and match their toppings and see who can be the most creative.
13. Face Painting and DIY Mask Decorating Station
Hire a face painter to transform guests and show their true Mardi Gras spirit. Or, you can switch up traditional face painting by booking a caricaturist this year. A caricature can also double as a Mardi Gras party favor for guests to take home.
Set up a mask-making station with plain masks, feathers, sequins, glue, and other craft supplies. Party guests can create their own unique masks to wear during the party.
14. Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler Sign
Display this iconic phrase ("Let the good times roll") for the perfect party touch. It could be a sign at the entrance of the party of a big banner hung throughout the party as a backdrop.
15. Cajun Cooking Contest
Have guests bring their favorite Cajun dish (like crawfish!) for a perfect potluck Mardi Gras party. Have a taste test among guests and the best one wins a prize.
16. Name a King and Queen
At some point during the night, crown the King and Queen of the party. Either pick guests at random or give the honor to the best dressed. Don’t have a crown? Just use the silliest hat you can find.
Find more Mardi Gras party ideas here on The Bash.
