Hey y’all! (This is the proper Southern way to say hello!) I am SO thrilled to be writing this blog post today considering I’m a New Orleans native, but now a Cincinnati-an. There is nothing I love more than sharing about my heritage and culture with anyone above the Mason Dixon Line.
Well, Mardi Gras is no exception! Each year, my family knows that on Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, we will be enjoying a Louisiana dinner complete with King Cake and Mardi Gras crafts. It may just be another Tuesday here in Cincinnati, but for us in Louisiana, it’s a big ol’ celebration.
Here are some fun ways you can celebrate Mardi Gras with your family this year! Mardi Gras is on Tuesday, February 28th this year, so mark your calendars and start saying “y’all” because you’re about to celebrate too!
10 Fun Ways To Celebrate Mardi Gras
1. Start the morning off with some purple, green, and gold pancakes!
2. No Mardi Gras celebration is complete without a mask. Your kids will have a blast making their mask for the big day.
3. Choose a yummy Mardi Gras dinner for that night’s celebration. Red beans and rice, chicken and sausage gumbo, or Louisiana Chicken Pasta. In our family, the chicken pasta is the winner.
4. No parade is complete without lots of noisemakers and shakers!
5.Every Mardi Gras celebration has a king and queen. Let your children reign the day with these DIY crowns and scepters.
6. While your kids wait for you to cook dinner, these Mardi Gras printable activities will keep them occupied.
7. Order a genuine New Orleans King Cake from any of these legendary bakeries: Haydel’s Bakery, Randazzo’s, or Gambino’s. Trust me, it’s worth the money!
8. After dinner, have a fun filled New Orleans movie night with The Princess and The Frog.
9. Every parade float throws Mardi Gras beads, so you’ll need some for your party too.
10. Learn more about Mardi Gras with any of these fun Mardi Gras books that you can enjoy each year!
I hope this gives you all the fun tips you need to celebrate Mardi Gras at your house this year! Just because you’re not in New Orleans doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate.
“Laissez les bon temps rouler!” Have no idea what I just said? It means “Let The Good Times Roll”! Happy Mardi Gras, y’all!
Can’t get enough of New Orleans? Check out the latest exhibit at the Krohn Conservatory: Blooms On The Bayou.
About Erica:
Erica is the blogger and writer behind the popular preschool blog, eLeMeNO-P Kids. She’s a wife, mom, and preschool teacher at the Countryside YMCA | Landen location right here in Cincinnati. Follow Erica’s preschool adventures on Facebook and Instagram!