Universal Mardi Gras Brings the Party Energy Back to Universal Studios Florida
Let the good times roll! Universal Mardi Gras has returned to Universal Studios Florida with nightly parades, concerts, merchandise, food and more. The annual event brings all the energy of New Orleans to the park, for a family-friendly party like no other.
Live entertainment can be found all around the park during Universal Mardi Gras. Performers will be seen in their parade costumes, interacting with guests and maybe even handing out a special prize or two, while live bands will pop up to play some Mardi Gras classics.
And new this year, guest can meet Mardi Gras royalty face to face. Prince Gator, who is of course the son of the iconic King Gator float seen in then nightly parade, will be meeting guests throughout the run of the event. The new character has a meet and greet location just outside of the Horror Make-Up Show.
And of course, the main attraction is that aforementioned nightly parade. This is where the party really gets going as performers bring the energy to the streets of Universal Studios Florida. This year's parade features floats themed to Mardi Gras traditions like food, beads, music and more. Interestingly, many of the floats were not carrying guests during the opening night parade, though we suspect this will change as the event rolls on. Getting the opportunity to ride one of the parade floats and toss beads to guests watching the parade is one of the most fun experiences Universal Mardi Gras has to offer.
The real star of this year's party though is the food. More than 40 different food items can be found around the parks, representing countries like Jamaica, Ireland, France, Greece, Brazil and many more. The lineup includes returning favorites like the Pinchos de Lechon from Puerto Rico, as well as new offerings like Verlasso "Fire" Salmon from Chile Patagonia. And of course, New Orleans classics like Po' Boys, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo and Beignets can be found as well.
Chef Jens Dahlmann shared some insights on the inspiration for this year's menus.
"I think this year, we really wanted to elevate the experience with a lot of live fire cooking," Dahlmann said. "That's something I'm very passionate about because it really creates those multi-sensory experiences on the streets."
Guests walking the streets of Universal Studios Florida can see the food cooking over those live fires and smell the enticing aromas long before they take that first bite.
And of course, no theme park event is complete without some special merchandise. Everything from T-shirts and sweatshirts to drinkware and accessories can be found around the park. One of the new stars is an adorable beignet plush that is sure to be popular among younger Mardi Gras guests.
And once again, the Tribute Store is the hub for Mardi Gras merch. This year's theme is Tonton's Roadhouse, which welcomes guests into a dive bar before sending them on a mystical walk through the streets of New Orleans.
And finally, on select nights, you can cap off your Mardi Gras experience with a live concert on the Music Plaza Stage. This year's concert lineup features some of the biggest names in music.
- February 7th – Kaskade
- February 14th – Portugal. The Man
- February 15th – Ivy Queen
- February 21st – Joey Fatone & AJ McLean
- February 28th – RuPaul (DJ Set)
- March 7th – Shaggy
- March 13th – Tyler Hubbard
- March 14th – Bebe Rexha
- March 15th – Zedd
- March 21st – Barenaked Ladies
- March 28th – The All-American Rejects
The opening night concert brought Kaskade to the stage to entertain guests and close out Mardi Gras with a bang.
Universal Mardi Gras runs nightly from now through April 4.