Boston's Best Mardi Gras Parties
Mardi Gras is French, meaning Fat Tuesday, and represents the carnival celebrations at the beginning of the Christian Lenten season. It is the beginning of a wild few days of celebration in the streets of New Orleans, including parades and classic jazz music. Food abounds, including Cajun and Creole choices, and the party atmosphere is wildly chaotic. For those who cannot travel to New Orleans for the real deal, Boston transforms some great local venues into Mardi Gras celebrations, complete with purple, gold and green beads, masks and festive party decor.
Lir
903 Boylston St.
Downstairs
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 778-0089
www.lironboylston.com
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Admission: $11.54 in advance and $15 at the door
Mardi Gras beads and masks, Mardi Gras inspired drinks (especially the "hurricane"), po' boys and beignets, define many of the Lir festivities. This is a cash bar event, in addition to the admission price. Dressing in Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold and green increases the chance of winning bonus prizes while it also elevates the spirit of the wild celebration.
Check in location 1:
Wild Rover
61 Chatham St.
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 263-8715
www.wildroverboston.com
Check in location 2:
Sissy K's
2 Commercial St.
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 248-6511
www.sissyks.com
Date: Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016
www.bostonmardigrascrawl.com/#home
There are enticing cocktails and lots of New Orleans-inspired cuisine along the crawl to enhance the evening's fun-filled experience. There are ten venues hosting the Pub Crawl, including Durgin Park at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Wild Rover on Chatham Street, Sissy K's on Commercial Street and Blackstone Grille on Union Street. Each venue offers a special deal for the event like $1 to $3 beers and $2 hot dogs and fries. Start the evening at one venue and travel through the city of Boston to experience the real excitement of Mardi Gras at a few additional pubs.
Mardi Gras Ball
Cuisine en Locale
156 Highland Ave.
Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 285-0167
www.mardigrasballs.com
Date: Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016
2016 marks the 24th year that this event has been held. It is marketed as a "magnificent fantastic extraordinary Mardi Gras ball!" The evening is filled with 1940s and 1950s New Orleans R & B music. The food served at Cuisine en Locale is locally sourced and wonderfully delicious. One major highlight of the Mardi Gras Ball is that all proceeds are donated to the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic to help musicians without any healthcare. Not only is this a great night of fun and entertainment, it is also an opportunity to help others in need.
Related: The Boston Area's Best Bars To Celebrate Mardi Gras
All Day Mardi Gras At South Street Diner
South Street Diner
178 Kneeland St.
Boston, MA 02111
(617) 350-0028
www.southstreetdiner.com
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Every year, South Street Diner celebrates Mardi Gras all day on Fat Tuesday. The New Orleans cuisine menu includes gumbo, alligator sausage, shrimp po' boys and buttery, south-watering beignets. Zydeco music, which is a blend or bluegrass and jazz, plays from the jukebox all day, and there will be Mardi Gras beads galore for the patrons. South Street Diner will be transformed into a venue reminiscent of the streets of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
The Beehive
Le Mardi Gras at the Beehive
541 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 423-0069
www.beehiveboston.com
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016
This South End establishment is typically a Bohemian-style restaurant and bar. When Mardi Gras comes around, The Beehive runs an annual carnival-themed event that is decked out in Mardi Gras colors and excitement. The Southern-influenced food at this event is exceptionally mouth-watering. Some of the fare includes Louisiana shrimp and grits, pan-fried catfish and seafood jambalaya. Live New Orleans jazz is featured and there is a dance floor ready for the partiers. The Beehive has no cover charge for this event and reservations are strongly recommended.
Nancy is a native Bostonian. She enjoys the sights, sounds and tastes of Boston while exploring the city by day or night. Nancy is also a school nurse at an independent middle/high school. Her work can be found on a variety of websites, including Examiner.com.