How To Throw A Fabulously Festive Mardi Gras Celebration
Check out these ideas for throwing a fabulously festive Mardi Gras party, right in your own home.
Enjoy!
*** FOOD ***
- Shrimp and Sausage PoBoy with Quick Rémoulade
https://www....ck-remoulade/
- Jambalaya
https://cafe...om/jambalaya/
- Cajun Stuffed Baby Sweet Peppers
https://www....weet-peppers/
* For the Kids: Slow-Cooker Cajun Mac and Cheese
https://www....c-and-cheese/
- Traditional French Quarter Beignets
Light and fluffy with a coating of powdered sugar, it doesn’t get much better for desserts that beignets. Take advantage of this traditional New Orleans pastry and whip some up to eat, ASAP!
https://www....ecipe-2014039
- King Cake
No Mardi Gras celebration is complete without a festive King Cake for all to enjoy. Topped with colorful sprinkles, this Mardi Gras dessert recipe is a must-have at your party. Get the look by using circular cookie cutters to contain sprinkles into a fun pattern.
https://www....s/kings-cake/
*** DRINKS ***
- King Cake Shots
These aren't very traditional, but they sure are fun.
https://www....-shot-4580675
- Mint Julep
This is a southern classic—if you're drinking at home, we love this strawberry jalapeño recipe.
https://www....o-mint-julep/
- Mardi Gras Cocktail: https://www....ecipe-1923745
- Sazerac
The Sazerac is the official cocktail of the city of New Orleans. In the city, you can get a great one at the bar inside the Roosevelt Hotel, which has been serving it since 1949.
https://www....ktail-recipe/
*** DECORATIONS ***
- Vibrant decorations are the key to a successful Mardi Gras celebration. Be sure to include the official colors of the holiday in your decor: purple, green, and gold.
- Start with an exaggerated table setting. Cover your table with a patterned fabric. Sprinkle strings of beads and confetti across the entire length for bright pops of color.
- Add balloons and ribbon garland to your entryway, drawing guests in the moment they walk through the door. Play some New Orleans brass, zydeco, or swing music, and bring all of the fun of the New Orleans streets into your living room.
*** FUN GAMES TO PLAY ***
— Gold Coin Treasure Hunt
Design three Treasure Chests (cardboard boxes – one painted gold, one green, one purple) and fill them with costume jewelry, play money and candy gold coins. Hide the boxes throughout your party space and write three sets of clever clues (bonus points for rhyming!). Divide your guests into gold, green and purple teams and give each the first of their set of clues. Solving it will lead each team to its next clue and so on. The first pair to find their treasure chest wins bragging rights!
— Mardi Gras Musical Chairs
This party game isn’t just for elementary school carnivals! Set up chairs (one fewer than number of players to start) and play the Mardi Gras tunes (Zydeco and swing bands are good bets). Assign someone – or yourself – to start and stop the music and let the crazy begin.
— Find the Baby (Again)
If you’re serving King Cake, ask the guest who finds the “baby” in his or her slice to hide it in the party room. The hider can encourage party guests with hints of “you’re getting hotter” and “colder, colder!” to lead party guests to finding that baby a second time.
Games need prizes, so reward your winners with fun Mardi Gras trinkets such as gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins; feather boas; gold, green and purple strings of beads; mini bottles of favorite Mardi Gras spirits such as rum (age-appropriate, of course); and costume crowns.
*** MORE FUN ***
---- Masks
You can’t have a Mardi Gras party without the star of the show: The Mask.
Check out some ideas for making your own, as well as incorporating it into a party activity.
* No Sew: https://www....i-gras-masks/
* Pipe Cleaner Mask: https://www....di-gras-mask/
* Printable Mardi Masks: https://ever...di-gras-mask/
* Lace Masquerade Mask: https://keep...ade-mask.html
* Handprint Masks the kids will love
https://www....t-mask-craft/
*** Let your guests decorate a mask when they arrive at your party. This is a great way to get them talking and creating and best of all: everyone will have a mask!
* The kids will love this:
http://campf...as-masks.html
---- Costumes:
Mardi Gras revelers usually dress up, especially on Fat Tuesday. Make your Mardi Gras party a masquerade, and ask people to wear masks and costumes. You can pick a theme like a 17th century ball (the attire of choice for many of the Mardi Gras balls in New Orleans), favorite celebrity or even characters from comic books or movies. Or, you can simply ask that your guests come in their favorite costume without giving the party a specific theme.
**Consider a costume contest for your guests with beads, baked goods, or fun New Orlean themed knick knacks for the prizes
---- Mardi Gras Photo Booth Props
No party is complete without a themed photo booth! Get your guests to strike a pose in Mardi Gras party mode with these festive props.
https://www....dp/B07N1VQDHB
— Speaking of Photo Booths, hang up some purple, gold, and green mylar streamers and BOOM! You’ve just created a visually-appealing backdrop for your guests to take memorable photos like you see in the picture above.
**These can be found on OrientalTrading.com
https://www....l%2520trading