Can’t make the trek down to New Orleans? There are still plenty of ways to celebrate Mardi Gras here in DC this year.
Barracks Row Mardi Gras Weekend
8th St. SE
Barracks Row Main Street is celebrating Mardi Gras with live music, beads, food, and entertainment like an escape artist and karaoke. The free, community-wide event will feature sidewalk parades along Eighth Street. Details: Parades take place on Friday, February 17 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, February 18 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; free.
Mardi Gras Fest 2023
1612 14th St. NW
Logan Circle’s Black Jack, Tilt Side Bar, and Pearl Dive Oyster Palace are hosting a weekend full of Mardi Gras events. The festival will feature an opening ceremony with food and drink specials and a DJ, a masquerade ball with a brass band, an all-you-can-eat and bottomless bayou drag brunch, an industry night with guest bartenders, and Fat Tuesday food and drink specials with more live music. Details: Friday, February 17 through Tuesday, February 21; $75 for brunch; free admission for all other events.
Union Market Mardi Gras Celebration
1309 5th St. NE
From Friday, February 17 through Tuesday, February 21, Union Market vendors will offer Mardi Gras food and drink specials. Head to RavenHook Bakehouse for king cakes with raspberry or cinnamon filling, grab a Hurricane cocktail at Buffalo & Bergen and AboveGround, or stop by Puddin’ and Bidwell for shrimp po’ boy sandwiches. On Fat Tuesday, Vitis will have a free tasting of Caribbean liqueurs, and rhythm-and-blues band Bad Luck Gold will perform from 6 to 8 p.m. Details: Food and drink specials will run at Union Market from Friday, February 17 through Tuesday, February 21; the Mardi Gras celebration on Tuesday, February 21 will run from 5 to 8 p.m.; free.
Mardi Gras at The Wharf
101 District Sq. SW
Mardi Gras at The Wharf kicks off at 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 18 at The District Pier Bar, where you can grab a Hurricane made with Thrasher’s rum. There will be a parade down Wharf Street with floats, stilt walkers, and guests like the Nationals’ Racing Presidents and the Eastern High School Marching Band. The party will continue with dancing, live music from Naptown Brass Band, and fireworks at District Pier. Details: Saturday, February 18 from 3 to 7 p.m.; free.
B Live’s Beads and Brews
2854 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Clarendon’s B Live, a bar, restaurant, and music venue, is hosting a Mardi Gras celebration featuring a DJ, beads, drink specials, and live music from JJ Rupp. Details: Saturday, February 18 at 8 p.m.; free admission.
Bourbon to U Street Mardi Gras Crawl
Multiple locations throughout U Street NW
This Mardi Gras bar crawl on U Street includes entry to seven bars like Cloak & Dagger and Amsterdam Lounge, with drink specials and a DJ at each location. Details: Saturday, February 18 from 2 to 10 p.m.; $20.
Mardi Gras at Dauphine’s
1100 15th St. NW
The New Orleans-inspired restaurant Dauphine’s is hosting an indoor and outdoor event with food and drinks. Food offerings include oysters, chicken étouffée, shrimp creole, king cake, and beignets, and you can choose from drinks like Hurricanes, Sazeracs, and Louisiana beers on tap. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes in the theme of “Let them eat cake,” but Dauphine’s will also provide beads. Details: Sunday, February 19 from 6 to 10 p.m.; $165.
Republic Cantina Mardi Gras Fiesta
43 N St. NW
Truxton Circle Tex-Mex spot Republic Cantina is throwing a Mardi Gras fiesta with live music from the Capitol Hillbillies from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. Specials on the menu include po’ boy sandwiches, hurricanes, charbroiled oysters, and Tex-Nola ice cream floats. Details: Tuesday, February 21 from 4 to 11 PM; free admission.
Clarendon Ballroom’s Retox Brunch
3185 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Clarendon Ballroom is celebrating Mardi Gras with a “Retox Brunch” featuring bottomless food stations, DJs, live music, and a mimosa ice luge. Details: Saturday, February 25 from 12 to 5 p.m.; free general admission with first-come, first-served seating, or request a group reservation here.
Mardi Gras Celebration at Michele’s
1201 K St. NW
Matt Baker’s downtown French-American brasserie Michele’s is celebrating Mardi Gras with New Orleans-style food and drinks. Food offerings include cochon de lait, seafood jambalaya, crawfish hushpuppies, and king cake, as well as unlimited Mardi Gras cocktails. Plus, the celebration will feature live music from Blues Style Brass Band. Details: Sunday, February 26 at 12 p.m.; $95.
This post has been updated.
