How to Experience Mardi Gras Outside of New Orleans

While New Orleans is the destination for Mardi Gras, if you want to experience a slightly smaller scene (and maybe pay less for your travel while you’re at it), consider celebrating the occasion in another nearby locale: Coastal Mississippi. Mardi Gras events already kicked off in the region earlier this month, with future events running through March 4.

If you’re already in the area, head to Pass Christian, Mississippi, today for the community King Cake tasting event, where you can vote on your favorites and eat all the king cake you can handle.

In February, work off that king cake in the Feb. 22 Annual Run for the Beads in Biloxi. Throughout the entire month, you’ll find parades taking place along the Mississippi Coast, including the Feb. 15 OS Elks Carnival Parade, the Feb. 23 Biloxi Barkloxi PAWrade and the Feb. 28 Annual Ocean Springs Night Parade.

Then, catch three parades March 1–4: the Annual Krewe of Neptune Night Parade in Biloxi on March 1, Krewe of Diamondhead Mardi Gras Parade in Diamondhead March 1 and the Annual GCCA Mardi Gras Parade in Biloxi (the biggest Mardi Gras event in the region!) on March 4.