Mardi Gras Party Ideas

Mardi Gras is a season that begins after the 12th day of Christmas (January 6th) and goes until the day before lent begins (Ash Wednesday). Typically, people view the day of Mardi Gras (translation: Fat Tuesday) as a day to party before entering the more serious season of lent. No matter where you live, with my tips (below), you can host the perfect Mardi Gras party that is sure to have your guests eagerly anticipating the event every year.

The first piece of getting a Mardi Gras party planned is always the food. Gumbo is a great "main dish" for the party. If you are not skilled enough to make your own gumbo, visit http://www.whatscookineasymeals.com/index.php?p=products and find the Shrimp and Sausage gumbo mix. I made this last year for a Mardi Gras party I went to and it was definitely the hit of the party. (*Note : I used Andouille sausage and also added crawfish tails). Other main dish ideas include Red Beans and Rice, Ettouffee and Jambalaya. If you are not a serious cook, starter boxes of mix can be purchased at your local Walmart or grocery store (Zatarins and Tony's both make good box mixes). Once you have decided on your main dish, its now time to think about other food that is nice to have at a Mardi Gras party. Generally chips and dip are a good idea - I recommend either having a cheese dip or a dill dip. Other good food ideas include double chocolate brownies (make box brownies and add a few handfuls of chocolate chips), crackers and cheese, veggie trays (great for the more health conscious), crescent rolls (go great with gumbo), and cookies of any kind. A last food that is an absolute MUST at a Mardi Gras party is a King Cake. In many southern areas, King Cakes can be found at local grocery stores or bakeries. If your area does not carry king cakes, there are a few options. You can order your own king cake from New Orleans - Gambinos is a great bakery that is world famous for their king cakes. Most New Orleans bakeries will ship the king cakes - so if you choose this option allow enough time for processing and shipment. The other option is to make your own king cake. We made our own king cake last year and it turned out marvelous! There are several recipes out there for making a king cake - I would recommend a quick and easy recipe, such as one that uses crescent rolls, cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and cinnamon.

The next most crucial bit of planning for your Mardi Gras party is the drink list. The famous must-have Mardi Gras drink is the Hurricane. All liquor stores carry hurricane mix, but if you want to get a really good one, go to your local Pat O'Briens and pick theirs up. If you do not have a Pat O'Briens in your area, you can place orders with them at http://www.patobriens.com/patobriens2/vpasp/shopdisplayproducts_pat1.asp?id=17

To keep your guests lively, I would suggest finding some good ole cajun zydeco music. Zachary Richards or a Buckwheat Zydeco are good choices. Play famous songs like "When the Saints Go Marching In", "Laissez Les Bons Temps Roulez" and "Walking to New Orleans" to keep up the energy level at the party.

There are lots of ways to have fun (other than by the Hurricanes) at a Mardi Gras party. When you send out the invite, encourage guests to bring or make their own Mardi Gras mask. When everyone has arrived, has a contest and vote for the best. Also encourage guests to "dress" for Mardi Gras. Fun costume wear can be found at Party City - hats, sunglasses, fun and colorful tights, etc. Once everyone has arrived, vote on a Mardi Gras King and Queen based on dress and mask. Later in the night, have a parade in which the King and Queen through beads (these can be purchased at places like Party City, or online at www.orientaltrading.com). Last year, our King and Queen paraded through the house to "When the Saints Go Marching In" - it was a blast.