Parades have already started in New Orleans so don your purple, green and gold—Mardi Gras is early this year. The Carnival Season is upon us as make our way to the big finale of Fat Tuesday on Feb. 13! Here at Front Porch Alabama we love to celebrate the festive season as we should since America’s original Mardi Gras started in our favorite port city of Mobile in 1703. The Mobilian credited with throwing the first parade, Joe Cain, is celebrated each year on the Sunday before Fat Tuesday.
For neophytes, the Carnival Season is celebrated across the globe as the time for Christians to feast before the fasting of the Lenten Season. It encompasses the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras which is French for Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday when Lent begins. In Mobile and New Orleans, parties, balls and parades take place throughout the season with the most prestigious ones occurring the closer you get to the grand finale of Mardi Gras Day. Fat Tuesday is a massive celebration of elaborate floats, crowds lining the streets and lots of revelry! Not surprising for the day before Lent’s 40 days of fasting, right?
Plan Your Mardi Gras Trip
As you can imagine, it’s an absolute blast to partake in Mardi Gras in Mobile and New Orleans. Are you thinking of planning a trip to one of these great cities to see it all firsthand? Here’s a little insider guidance to help you make the most of it! The parades in Mobile are more family friendly than those in New Orleans. That’s not to say that New Orleans is totally out of the question for families. The best spots for families to enjoy the parade revelry is in the Uptown neighborhood with its majestic homes and beautiful streets. In both cities, the “krewes” on the parade floats throw lots of beads and goodies so bring a bag to collect your loot! Check out these resources for planning your visit…
- Mobile Mardi Gras takes place Jan. 26 through Feb. 13 and features 40 parades. Find out everything you need to at Visit Mobile including a First Timer’s Guide, the parade schedule and places to stay.
- New Orleans Mardi Gras is Jan. 6 through Feb. 13. with countless balls and parades throughout the city. Check out this helpful hub of all things Mardi Gras to plan your trip to the Big Easy.
Host A Mardi Gras Party
Traveling not in the cards for you this year? No worries, you can celebrate this uber festive season at home—and we’re here to help you plan the best Mardi Gras party! After you’ve invited the merriest people you know, it’s time to set the menu featuring dishes with nods to the cajun flavors of New Orleans and Mobile’s penchant for Gulf-fresh seafood. Our party menu stars Sausage Jambalaya in the leading role. In true Front Porch style, we’re sharing our go-to recipe with you. It’s super tasty with Alabama-made Monroe Sausage and Mis Rubin’s Creole Magic Seasoning. For an unforgettable appetizer, we love to serve Chargrilled Oysters with a generous sprinkling of DAK’S Lemon Pep seasoning, Pecorino Romano cheese and crumbled bacon. We like to splurge on the bacon and there’s nothing better than small batch artisanal bacon by Bill E’s. Of course, no Mardi Gras party would be complete without a King Cake. While you can find traditional King Cakes at many bakeries around the state, we are loving this Mardi Gras Pound Cake by Emily’s Heirloom Pound Cakes!
As Mardi Gras is all about excessive feasting in preparation for Lent, let’s talk about the cocktails to serve at your party. In Mobile, the signature drink is a variation of Milk Punch called the Chrissy with vanilla ice cream, vodka, and Frangelico, a hazelnut flavored liqueur. Sounds a little bit like dessert, right? The Sazerac, a New Orleans take on the Old Fashion, is a classic choice with absinthe, rye whiskey or cognac, simple syrup and bitters. We also love the refreshing Pimm’s Cup featuring Pimm’s No. 1, a. gin-based liquer. Of course, no one turns down a Hurricane with its potent blend of dark and white rum, orange and lime juice, passion fruit syrup, and grenadine syrup.
