These Mardi Gras theme party activities and ideas are perfect for a teen Mardi Gras sleepover, kids Mardi Gras Party or if you need Fat Tuesday party fun! Easy party ideas and games for a New Orleans carnival theme whether you’re hosting a winter carnivale, wondering how to host a backyard Mardi Gras theme party, throwing a Mardi Gras birthday party for kids, or even hosting a New Orleans themed retirement party, baby shower, or bachelorette party — or even if you need Mardi Gras Zoom party ideas!
Best Mardi Gras Theme Party Activities
Throwing a Mardi Gras New Orleans themed party is one of the most fun party ideas for all ages!
What can you do for a Mardi Gras party?
How do you do a Mardi Gras theme party:
- Use Mardi Gras masks as unique Mardi Gras party invitation ideas
- Include decorations with purple, gold (yellow), and green traditional colors of Mardi Gras to set the party mood
- Make Mardi Gras party food like Jambalaya, etouffee, red beans and rice, beignets
- Play fun Mardi Gras party games
- Make Hurricane drinks (use mocktails for kids) in fun New Orleans cups
- Create laissez les bons temps rouler signs (Let The Good Times Roll)
- Stock up on beads that can be used to hand out to guests, as part of the Fat Tuesday decorations, as part of games, and even in guest party favor bags
- Create an awesome Mardi Gras party music playlist
- Set up a mask table and let guests create or color their own Mardi Gras masks or make feather masks
- Play Mardi Gras Minute It To Win It games for kids (or even Mardi Gras drinking games for adults)
- Include Mardi Gras contest ideas like best costume, best decorated mask, best mini float craft, best Cajun Karaoke, etc., and give away fun Mardi Gras party prizes to the winners
- Have a costume contest and award prizes
- Name a Mardi Gras Queen and Mardi Gras King
- Have your own Mardi Gras parades and hand out strings of beads and masquerade masks
(See the full details on Mardi Gras theme party activities – aka: masquerades – and what do you need for a Mardi Gras party below! They work for a wide range of children’s Mardi Gras parties, to work parties, to Mardi Gras home party ideas and more!)
DON’T MISS: Mardi Gras Party Music Playlist Ideas (great for Mardi Gras party ideas for adults and kids or a New Orleans theme party / Mardi Gras event ideas since most of us can’t go all out with a jazz band!)
Let’s get to our full Mardi Gras ideas list and fun Mardi Gras ideas for party! Here’s how to throw a Mardi Gras party and fun New Orleans party theme ideas…
Best Mardi Gras Theme Party Activities and Fun Things To Do At A Mardi Gras Party
How do you throw a Mardi Gras theme party?
Mardi Gras party ideas and tips for Mardi Gras themes:
- Search out Mardi Gras party traditions and include them in your gathering.
- Have extra Mardi Gras party masks. Some people will wear their own masks, but you want to have extras for other people.
- If you don’t want to make full dishes, just provide Mardi Gras party finger foods like Cajun deviled eggs, Muffuletta sandwiches, and shrimp cocktail.
- If you have kids at your party, creating a masking table for decorating masks for Mardi Gras party (you can get plain masks) or a Mardi Gras craft table with theme crafts (like these to put their party photos in or scratch off masks or even have kids make a mini Mardi Gras float. PRO TIP: Place the table in a quiet area to give anyone who needs a break an area away from the party.
- Offer a dress up corner complete with things like Mardi Gras feather boas, light up glasses, Mardi Gras hats, extra masks, peacock feathers, and other things to help get people in the party mood.
Let us know your favorite Mardi Gras party theme ideas / Mardi Gras ball theme ideas and we’ll add them to our party list!
Mardi Gras Party Decorations
Your Mardi Gras party theme decor should center around the traditional Fat Tuesday colors: purple, green, and yellow (which you are probably familiar with for any Mardi Gras carnival!).
Fun Mardi Gras Decorations:
- Use Mardi Gras banners to welcome guests.
- Hang strands of beads that guests can take home and wear at the party (encourage guests to take them home at the end of the party!) – cheap and easy Mardi Gras decor tip!
- Include fun Mardi Gras party paper goods
- Don’t forget Mardi Gras party photos props (we love these) or a backdrop banner that makes for good party photo opps / photo booth ideas
- Adding Mardi Gras party cutouts can also be fun party photo props or for TikToks
- Spread around Mardi Gras doubloons (gold coins) for fun and cheap decorations or as party of your Mardi Gras centerpiece or Mardi Gras table decorations
- Use these fun street signs for a New Orleans vibe
- Mardi Gras string lights are great near dance areas
If you’re wondering where to buy Mardi Gras party decorations, you can find them in almost any big store or party store, especially starting after the New Year.
(Some even sell Mardi Gras party in a box like this with all the decorations you need, so keep an eye out for those at party stores!)
Mardi Gras Party Favors
Want to put together Mardi Gras party bags for guests?
Start with fun Mardi Gras favor bags (or, if you’re making favor bags for adults or a more sophisticated Mardi Gras party, use these or mini favor boxes). Then, fill them with fun things that will remind your guests of an awesome party!
Fun Mardi Gras Party Favor Ideas:
These are good if you’re looking for contest or giveaway Mardi Gras party gift ideas or Mardi Gras themed party giveaways, too!
- Mardi Gras cups
- Mardi Gras beads (and other bead necklaces)
- Mini Mardi Gras crawfish toys
- Mardi Gras rubber ducks
- Mardi Gras bracelets
- Mardi Gras tattoos
- Pralines
Keep scrolling for Mardi Gras fun activities, Mardi Gras games for youth and grown-ups, Mardi Gras themed birthday party ideas, and other ideas for Mardi Gras themed party!
Mardi Gras Party Food
Mardi Gras is one day before Ash Wednesday (called Shrove Tuesday), a time when many people (especially Catholics) fast. That’s one of the reasons that food for Mardi Gras is so rich and decadent.
Your DIY Mardi Gras party menu should reflect traditional flavors of New Orleans and Fat Tuesday traditions for Mardi Gras party food and drink.
If you’re doing a Mardi Gras party on a budget, just go for a king cake and some fun punch or a cheap dish like dirty rice!
Here are Mardi Gras recipes and yummy food ideas to go with your activities for Mardi Gras party…
Mardi Gras Party Ideas Food:
- Theme Mardi Gras party drinks (complete with Mardi Gras drink umbrellas for a mardi gra theme party)
- Mardi Gras party appetizers and finger foods
- Gumbo
- Crawfish boil
- Muffuletta
- Red beans and rice
- Shrimp and Grits
- Dirty rice
- Beignets or Fat Tuesday donuts (get the mix to make your own!)
- Po Boy sandwiches
- Mardi Gras desserts like King Cake (try a quick and easy King Cake Mardi Gras party cake recipe for your Mardi Gras party recipes (don’t forget the tiny plastic baby!)
- Bread pudding
- Mardi Gras themed dessert table
- New Orleans coffee with chicory
- Jambalaya
Let us know your good food recipes for Mardi Gras theme party ideas and we’ll add them our list!
What To Wear To Mardi Gras Party
First, check with the party host on Mardi Gras party attire / Mardi Gras party dress code. Is it a full-on Mardi Gras masquerade party, an upscale Mardi Gras cocktail party and you need a dress for Mardi Gras party, or is it a casual New Orleans style gathering crawfish boil?
Generally, you can get you can get loud, crazy, and flamboyant with Mardi Gras costumes and everyone will understand your bright colors! This is a great excuse to go all out with a colorful costume! Be sure to include some traditional Mardi Gras colors!
Mardi Gras theme party outfit ideas:
- Regular street clothes with a Mardi Gras mask
- Mardi Gras tutu costume
- Jester hat (or full jester costume)
- Mardi Gras leggings
- Crawfish hat
- Witch doctor hat
- Mardi Gras cape
- Mardi Gras headband hat
- Light up noodle headband
- Mardi Gras t-shirt
What are your favorite Mardi Gras theme ideas for costumes or Mardi Gras bash clothing!
Let’s get to our Mardi Gras party games ideas – fun for Mardi Gras celebration ideas!
What games do they play at Mardi Gras?
These are fun Mardi Gras games for families and carnival party game ideas — from adults to younger guests, there’s something for everyone in these Mardi Gras-themed party activity ideas and fun party games!
Mardi Gras Game Ideas And Mardi Gras Theme Party Games
What do you do at a Mardi Gras party?
- Mardi Gras bingo (fun for Mardi Gras party ideas for seniors!)
- Mardi Gras Party Murder Mystery (I love this one if you’re looking for fun Mardi Gras games for adults)
- Selfie scavenger hunt Mardi Gras theme style (fun for Mardi Gras themed games for teens and tweens, too!)
- Have a doubloon scavenger hunt and then let people on your guest list “buy” prizes with the coins they find
- Have a treasure hunt for the one pair of gold beads hidden somewhere at the party along with other beaded necklaces (person who finds them gets a prize!)
- New Orleans-apoly
- Scratch-off Mardi Gras dare cards
- Masquerade party games
- Saran Wrap ball Mardi Gras themed (can be tailored to Mardi Gras games for kids or adults or both!)
- Doubloons Scavenger Hunt (gold coin scavenger hunt like these!)
- Mardi Gras Minute To Win It games (funny Mardi Gras game for all ages or even Mardi Gras activities for the classroom or Mardi Gras PE games!)
- Fat Tuesday Music Musical Chairs (great games for Mardi Gras party if you have little ones!)
- Guess How Many Beads (put beads in a jar)
- Find the Baby in King Cake (fun Mardi Gras activities adults and kids – especially if you need Mardi Gras birthday ideas with birthday cakes) – some people say the baby represents Baby Jesus
- Mardi Gras Karaoke (Karaoke Contests) with music for Fat Tuesday (great for party contest games or talent show!)
- Play the Mardi Gras trivia questions and answers game
Let us know your ideas for Mardi Gras games (even Mardi Gras party games for adults!) and we’ll add them to our list for Mardi Gras entertainment ideas / Mardi Gras themed activities! These are even fun Mardi Gras birthday party ideas for adults and kids!
Now that we’ve covered Mardi Gras party activities, what should I name a party for Mardi Gras or what are some Mardi Gras themes that would be fun for a party?
31 Mardi Gras Party Theme Names (Mardi Gras Ball Themes)
What’s a fun Mardi Gra party without great Mardi Gras party names, right? This is a great party theme for fun party names!
Fun names for Mardi Gras parties and Mardi Gras ball ideas:
- Masquerade Ball
- King Cake Party
- King and Queen of Mardi Gras
- Bourbon Street Bash
- Cajun Carnival
- Jambalaya Jam
- Beads and Beer
- Masked in New Orleans
- All That Jazz
- Fat Tuesday Fiesta
- Purple, Green, and Gold Celebration
- Let the Good Times Roll!
- Mardi Gras Madness
- NOLA Nights
- Bourbon Street Blowout
- Magnificent Masks and Majestic Music
- Big Easy Bash
- Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll in French)
- Mardi Gras Masquerade
- A Night on Bourbon Street
- Mardi Gras Mayhem
- Meet Me in New Orleans
- Jazzy Mardi Gras Celebration
- A Taste of New Orleans
- Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball
- Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street
- From New Orleans with Love
- Mardi Gras Extravaganza
- A Night in the Big Easy
- Mardi Gras Magic
- The Ultimate Mardi Gras Celebration
What are your ideas on how to throw Mardi Gras party and favorite Mardi Gras activity ideas?
We’d love to hear your New Orleans Mardi Gras party ideas (Mardi Gras activities for adults or themed parties for kids), so leave them below!
