It is officially Carnival season, and we are here for it all! If you are looking for ways to enjoy Mardi Gras around Baton Rouge, we have you covered.
You can enjoy all the feels of Mardi Gras without having to travel to New Orleans. Maybe you are planning to throw a Mardi Gras party this year and want to enjoy king cake? Looking for Mardi Gras Camps? Check out our Guide to Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Events and Camps. Don’t forget to check out all the things to do in Baton Rouge with kids!
Discovering Mardi Gras: Through the Eyes of a Newcomer
Last year was our first Mardi Gras in Baton Rouge, and I had no idea what to expect. When I thought about Mardi Gras, I pictured parades in New Orleans, but I had never been there before. I have lived in several other states, but none of them fully celebrated Mardi Gras in the cities where we lived. What was this all about, and why did people talk about it so far in advance?
As soon as January arrived, our friends said, “It’s king cake season!” I was confused again. But throughout January and February, they introduced my family and I to the delicious varieties of flavors and toppings. This was a whole new world, and I was intrigued. The king cakes were fantastic! From chocolate filled to fruit topped, they were fabulous. Then I saw the parade schedule for Baton Rouge and was intrigued again. This many parades? And just about all of them are kid-friendly? There was even an adorable dog parade! This kept getting better. The first Mardi Gras parade we went to was with a group of friends. We brought blankets and chairs, and our kids all played and caught beads, toys, candy, and cups. The look on their faces was pure delight. Then we had several days off of school for Mardi Gras. This was another first for us, and my boys were thrilled.
What I felt more than anything throughout this season was a joy and a celebration of life all around us. I hadn’t imagined that Mardi Gras was really a family activity, but in Baton Rouge, it really is. From parties for the kids at school to more jazz music on the radio, celebrations were all around us. As I talked to different friends last year, they all had different things that were their favorite about Mardi Gras, from their kids making floats in parades at school to going on fun trips during the days off of school.
I’m already looking forward to Mardi Gras in Baton Rouge. From parties to parades, it’s another way that Baron Rouge is different from any other place, and I love it. There is a joy of living here that is contagious. After we moved to Baton Rouge, my son said, “They know how to have fun here, and the name of that of that fun is parade!”
