15 ways to celebrate Mardi Gras in Metro Atlanta
If you can't make it to New Orleans, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate in Atlanta
Festivals + Parties
Mardi Gras on The Roof
Where: Ponce City Market Roof
When: March 1-3
Cost: $15 admission, $27-$55 extra for crawfish boil on Saturday
Details: Spend Mardi Gras weekend on top of Ponce City Market with Cajun-inspired food and drinks throughout this three-day festivity. Friday and Saturday night will have a 21-and-up party featuring a live DJ and brass trio. Come Saturday and Sunday afternoon, expect more family-friendly activities with face painting, balloon artists, crafts stations, and a Saturday crawfish boil.
16th Annual Oyster Crawfish Festival
Where: Park Tavern
When: March 2, 2 p.m.
Cost: $7 for lawn tickets, $35 for general admission, $75 for VIP, children 12 and younger are free
Details: This afternoon is all about crawfish, hurricane cocktails, and festive tunes. With general admission, you can get more oysters, potatoes, sausage, Bayou Mules, Bloody Mary’s, and Mardi Gras Margaritas than you can stomach—all while jamming to the sounds of Blair Crimmins & The Hookers, DJ Ratetone, and others.
Mardi Gras at Live! at the Battery Atlanta
Where: Live! at the Battery Atlanta
When: March 2, 8 p.m.
Cost: $10-$35
Details: This 21-and-up event is self-dubbed the “biggest Mardi Gras celebration the Battery has ever seen.” Spend the night partying indoors or outdoors while enjoying Cajun food, cocktails, jazz music, and plenty of beads.
Beads & Booze bar crawl in Virginia-Highland
Where: 10 bars, restaurants, and clubs in Virginia-Highland
When: February 23, 6 p.m.
Cost: $30
Details: Experience a full night of NOLA-style partying as you hop from Neighbor’s Pub, Tiki Iniki, Fontaine’s Oyster House, Dark House Tavern, and more. Participating restaurants will offer New Orleans-themed shots, cocktails, beers, and food specials. Don’t expect to leave without beads.
Mardi Gras Festival at Glover Park Brewery
Where: Glover Park Brewery, Marietta
When: March 2, 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
Cost: Pay per drink or food truck meal
Details: This family-friendly day comes with face painting, a costume contest, and games with prizes. Along with beer, food trucks, and live music from Trombone Jesus, Glover Park Brewery will also be hosting the official Marietta Junior League Mardi Gras 5k post race party.
Mardi Gras on the Square
Where: Colony Square
When: March 5, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Cost: Free
Details: Get warmed up for your late-night Fat Tuesday plans at Colony Square with brass band Mardi Gras Trio, and New Orleans-inspired food and drink trucks, including Sunshine Alchemy Beverage Truck.
Mardi Gras Party at Blind Willie’s
Where: Blind Willie’s Blues Club
When: March 5, 7 p.m.
Cost: $6 cover
Details: Seating is first-come, first-serve for this 21-and-up live show from the Atlanta Crawdaddys, who will be playing tunes reminiscent of what you’d hear during a Mardi Gras street parade.
Mardi Gras Ball
Where: Ivy Community Center
When: February 23, 8 p.m.
Cost: $60, purchase food and drinks separate
Details: Guys, wear your tuxedos, girls, show off your ball gown dresses—this event is all about dancing. With live music by three different DJs, make sure you bring your dancing spirit (and festive masks).
Good Eats
Mardi Party at Red Sky Tapas
Where: Red Sky Tapas & Bar
When: March 1–5
Cost: Price of dinner, $60 for Mardi Party Package (4 guests, includes beads, masquerade masks, and a round of drinks), $10 cover charge for Blair Crimmins & The Hookers
Details: OTP-ers: for five nights you can indulge on NOLA-inspired tapas, Crawfish Egg Rolls, Andouille Sausage, Cajun Baked Rice, and Shrimp Pasta. Wash the meal down with Hurricanes and Hand Grenades drinks while listening to musical acts such as Blair Crimmins & The Hookers and PR3 Project.
Mardi Gras Madness at Copeland’s of New Orleans
Where: Copeland’s of New Orleans, Kennesaw and Cumberland locations
When: March 5, 5-10 p.m.
Cost: Cost of dinner, $6 for souvenir cups
Details: Of course Copeland’s of New Orleans is celebrating Fat Tuesday. The restaurants will serve a crawfish platter alongside panéed alligator, boiled shrimp, étouffée, king cake cheesecake, and hurricane cocktails. The atmosphere will be festive with beads giveaways and live music.
Crawfish Boil at Oak Steakhouse
Where: Oak Steakhouse
When: March 5, 5 p.m.
Cost: $10, $8 for cocktail
Details: Stroll around Avalon while munching on a to-go crawfish, potatoes, and corn-on-the-cob meal that will be served on the restaurant’s outdoor patio. Oak will also offer a cocktail that’s a take on the hurricane, made with dark rum, cherry-infused light rum, orange juice, and passion fruit syrup.
Crawfish Boil & Party at Bon Ton
Where: Bon Ton
When: March 5, 12 p.m.-1 a.m.
Cost: Price of dinner
Details: This Vietnamese-Cajun boil house makes it feel like you’re in New Orleans year-round—Mardi Gras season or not. With its menu already featuring crawfish and shrimp, the Midtown restaurant will also have a party on Fat Tuesday with beads, music, and costumes.
Big Easy Grille Crawfish Boil
Where: Big Easy Grille
When: March 2, 12 p.m.-11 p.m.
Cost: Price of dinner
Details: Celebrate Fat Tuesday early with acoustic music from Wasted Potential Brass Band accompanied with beads, king cake, boiled crawfish, and Abita beer.
Get Your Mardi Gras On at Serpas
Where: Serpas True Food
When: March 5
Cost: Price of dinner
Details: Chef and Louisiana native Scott Serpas will serve a NOLA-themed menu with Hurricane cocktails. Expect plenty of beads, masks, and the staff to break out into a second line dance at the end of the night.
Mardi Gras Midtown
Where: Tapa Tapa
When: Through March 5
Cost: Price of dinner
Details: Tapa Tapa is turning into a New Orleans pop-up. Tuesday through Saturday nights, expect Louisiana-inspired food and cocktails alongside music and beads everywhere.