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Mardi Gras For Kids
Best Mardi Gras Parades for Kids
Most parades will offer kids the sense of wonder that comes with seeing massive floats bedecked with flashy colors, bright lights, and astounding sculpture work, plus kids love the festive costumes and endless amount of beads and trinkets that surround the masked riders on the float. But some parades stand out for one reason or another, and these parades are likely to stay in your children’s memories for years to come.
Endymion (Mid-City/Downtown): As the ultimate superkrewe, Endymion is sure to delight your kids with massive floats that now come to life with high-tech LED lighting, including the Pontchartrain Beach float, the world’s largest with over 250 riders, and the “selfie” float featuring giant video screens that mirror the crowd as it rolls by.
Bacchus (Uptown): Bacchus, another superkrewe, features more than 30 floats, including memorable signatures like the Bacchagator, Bacchasaurus, and the three Kongs.
Caesar (Metairie): The biggest krewe on the Metairie Mardi Gras lineup, the Caesar parade features magnificent costumes for the royal court, which have the quintessential towering costume collars decorated with fiber-optics, neon, and 3D figures.
‘tit Rex (Marigny): Looking for a unique take on Mardi Gras, where bigger isn’t always better? Step away from the traditional parade route and head to the Marigny neighborhood for ‘tit Rex, a krewe of shoebox floats lavishly decorated to look just like the real thing.
Best Spots for Kids to Watch Parades
The parade routes are long and wind through various parts of the city, some of which are more family-friendly than others. Here are a few of the best parade-watching spots for kids.
What to Pack
Picked your parade? Picked your spot? Now, you need to figure out what to bring along.
We recommend:
Transportation Tips
Plan ahead for transportation. Driving? Know the street closures around the parade routes and where traffic will be most backed up so you can better plan your route. If you don’t have your own car, know that public transportation will be much more limited, particularly along the parade routes, including the shutdown of the St. Charles Ave streetcar. You may need to find another mode of transportation or walk further than usual depending on your situation.
If driving, consider where you’ll park. Often you will have to park in the neighborhoods, which can involve a lot of driving around looking for a spot and then plenty of walking from the car to the route, so be sure you budget extra time, if needed.
Last-minute Reminders
Here are a few final pointers to ensure your kids—and you—love your visit to New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
And finally:
Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)
Mardi Gras for Families
In fact, its roots are religious -- Mardi Gras began as a Catholic celebration to mark the last day of feasting before the Lenten fast began in preparation for Easter. But from St. Louis to Orlando to, of course, New Orleans, Mardi Gras has evolved into an excuse for adults and kids alike to dress up, don masks and parade through the streets. Here are a few travel tips for enjoying Mardi Gras with your family.
Parades are the staple of any Mardi Gras celebration, but the key to a family-friendly time in New Orleans is to avoid the French Quarter. In fact, no parades even pass through there. But if you also want to avoid the huge crowds on St. Charles Avenue, then find a parade in the suburbs of Metairie where they tend to be a bit quieter and more family-oriented. There are plenty on the schedule, so don't worry about missing out.
If you plan on attending one (or 3) of the more popular parades in New Orleans with the little ones in tow, it's a good idea to invest in a Mardi Gras ladder. These ladders feature a box seat at the top and are available in local New Orleans hardware stores. The kids will get to see everything from this vantage point and avoid getting trampled, and you’ll know where your kid is at all times. The float riders also aim their throws at kids on ladders, so they'll be sure to score big.
The Ultimate Kid-friendly City
You don't have to go to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras. At Universal Studios in Orlando, the celebration continues all the way through April. With a huge parade complete with stilt-walkers, street performers and elaborate floats every Saturday, the party never ends. Universal Studios also has their own French Quarter where you can listen to live Zydeco music and enjoy Cajun cuisine when the kids aren't on the rides.
At the St. Louis Zoo, kids rule Mardi Gras. With mask-making, beads and face-painting, this zoo celebration is full of fun activities and games. The event culminates in a stroller float parade, so bring your best stroller and wagon decorating skills to this free event and let the good times roll!
You can celebrate Mardi Gras anywhere with a King Cake. The traditionally cinnamon brioche-like cake topped with a sugar glaze is always a hit with kids of any age. Whoever is lucky enough to find the baby in their slice of cake is dubbed the king or queen of Mardi Gras and is responsible for providing the next King Cake. But in your kid's case, they can just relish their new title.