Tips For Planning A Mardi Gras Party

Nothing says Down South like a great Mardi Gras party.  This is a massive celebration held every year as a last hurray before Lent begins.  People from all over the world travel to experience these festivities in big and small towns all over the South.  If you don’t have a chance to be part of one of these events firsthand, you can bring Mardi Gras to life in your own home by hosting a gathering with a few traditional focuses.  Here are some important factors that go into creating a Mardi Gras party at home.

Decorations

Turn your home into a vibrant wonderland of purple, green, and gold.  These are the colors that represent the royalty that surrounds the Mardi Gras festivities.  You can be as excessive as you want when it comes to decorating.  Masks, confetti, balloons, and beads, beads, and more beads will help create a party centered around true Mardi Gras style.

Place colorful streamers throughout the room, make some brilliant tablescapes, and create banners to hang on the wall for a very festive atmosphere.  Visit a local party shop or search the web for decorations and ideas that will have your guests thinking they are traveling right down Bourbon Street.

Preparing the Food

No Mardi Gras party would be complete without the wonderfully unique food selection.  Wow your guests with a menu that consists of creamy shrimp dip, crawfish spread, or mini crab cakes as appetizers.  Serve main dishes such as Shrimp Gumbo, Crawfish Etoufee, Jambalaya, or just a big pot of steamed shrimp or boiled crawfish.  Keep the foods centered on spicy Southern classics in the Cajun and Creole style and you can't go wrong.  If weather permits, don't forget to set up tables outside.  A Mardi Gras party is nothing if not casual.  Be sure to have plenty of cold drinks on hand to chase down the spicy food.

The desserts at Mardi Gras are not to be outdone.  Serve Bourbon laced bread pudding, hot beignets with powdered sugar, pecan pralines, and of course, the King cake.  To stay with tradition, a small baby doll trinket is hidden within or placed on top of the King Cake.  The lucky party-goer who is served this piece will receive blessings throughout the coming year.

Music and Activities

Mardi Gras is also best celebrated against a background of good jazz and zydeco music.  Make sure to be playing music throughout the event to set the mood for all the party-goers.  Choose a variety of music and let it play both inside the house and outside.  You might want to clear a spot on the deck for dancing, too.  It's hard to stop your guests from dancing with this kind of music in the air.

If you feel like being crafty, you can provide the materials for the Mardi Gras masks and have your guests make their own creations while visiting over cocktails and appetizers.  You could suggest guests come dressed in costume and have a contest or even a little parade around your neighborhood.  Get out the wagons and the crepe paper and see what happens.

Your Mardi Gras party can be as excessive as you want it to be.  Or, you can do something more simply.  Either way, you want to have fun and not get stressed about the details.  Follow a few of these tips and you will be sure to bring Mardi Gras home!