How to Plan the Ultimate Mardi Gras Party in Minutes

Mardi Gras is just weeks away! But if you can’t make it to New Orleans this year (or aren’t up for quite that much festivity), you can still have a fantastic celebration at home with your friends and family.

Hosting your own Mardi Gras party is a fantastic way to celebrate some of the colorful traditions while bringing people together in a more intimate atmosphere! You may not be able to host your own parade, but there are still plenty of fun traditions you can incorporate, like bead throws, king cake, and masks—not to mention delicious traditional food!

In this post, we’ll give you an easy breakdown on how to throw your very own Mardi Gras party without the hassle but with all the pizzazz!

1.      Set the Vibe with Decorations

It’s not a Mardi Gras party without the right color scheme, so make sure you stick to the traditional purple, green, and gold for justice, faith, and power. Luckily, it’s easy to find décor in these colors, especially this time of year.

A Mardi Gras party also calls for some targeted décor. You can’t have too many beads or streamers, so be sure to hang plenty in doorways, from the ceiling, and along the walls!

Lastly, don’t forget to make your tables particularly festive! Fringed table skirts are a great way to add some float-like sparkle to self-serve tables. But if you plan on serving a sit-down meal, you can add an elegant touch with purple chargers and white plates. And either way you plan to serve your food, purple, green, and gold feathers make fantastic centerpieces when placed in slim vases!

2.      Provide the Ultimate Mardi Gras Menu

You don’t have to be in a Mardi Gras town to chow down on the best food! Here are some great menu options for chill and formal party settings!

If you’re going to an easy party snack vibe, lay out a great spread of king cake, beignets, and mini muffulettas! Fill in the gaps with crawfish dip and baguette slices, creole deviled eggs, and crab cakes.

If you want to elevate your party with some heartier fare and a sit-down meal, you can’t go wrong with gumbo, jambalaya, po-boys, and crawfish etouffee. They’re still low-fuss entrees, and your guests are sure to come away satisfied!

For drinks, keep it simple with Hurricanes (alcoholic and mocktail versions) and Sazeracs.

3.      Plan Fun Mardi Gras Activities

Let’s be honest: the highlight of Mardi Gras is the fun! So make sure you have lots of great activities and set a fun atmosphere for your guests to enjoy themselves!

Start with a great Mardis Gras playlist full of energetic, jazzy music. If you need help, many popular music streaming apps will have pre-made Mardi Gras lists you can use.

Next, plan themed games, like Mardi Gras trivia, a bead toss, or even a mask-making competition. Of course, a proper Mardi Gras party requires festive attire, so encourage your guests to wear masks, sequins, and Mardi Gras-colored outfits. Turn everything into a competition, and give the winners bead necklaces. See who comes away with the most at the end of the party!  

For even more fun, make a festive Mardi Gras backdrop where your guests can pose for fun (or wild) photos throughout the party! Just hang some spangled fabric or streamers on a wall and place some Mardi Gras masks in the corners. Bonus points if you have masks, boas, or feathered hair pieces for your guests to pose with!

And there you have it: a complete plan for an easy but festive Mardi Gras celebration! With just a few simple decorations, traditional food, and fun games, you can quickly bring the spirit of Mardi Gras to your home, no matter where you are!