Alexandria Mardi Gras 2025
Mardi Gras in Louisiana
Mardi Gras is celebrated in cities and towns all around Louisiana, from north to south, east to west. Whether you plan to celebrate Fat Tuesday in New Orleans, Lafayette, or Alexandria, Louisiana has a parade, concert, festival and other fun events for you!
 Alexandria, Louisiana Mardi Gras Parade(Photo courtesy of Alexandria Mardi Gras Association) |
This magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered carnival is rich with tradition and is all about having a good time! The traditional Mardi Gras colors, dating back to 1892, are purple (justice), green (faith) and gold (power).
Is Mardi Gras celebrated in Alexandria?
The Alexandria Mardi Gras Association was begun in 1994 by a consortium of local business leaders, the Alexandria-Pineville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Mardi Gras enthusiasts and the Krewes existing at that time.
The Mardi Gras du Couer de la Louisianne (Mardi Gras in the Heart of Louisiana) spirit has really taken hold of Central Louisiana since the first parade was held on Sunday, February 13, 1994. Alexandria’s Mardi Gras has grown from having a total of ten floats with participation of four Mardi Gras Krewes that first year, to presently having twenty-three floats and Krewes. The Krewe Parade attendance is estimated at 150,000 and the Children’s Parade attendance is estimated at 45,000.
Today, there is an ever-growing list of Mardi Gras Krewes that are active in the Alexandria area.
When is the next Mardi Gras in Alexandria?
Mardi Gras is always on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The day before Mardi Gras is known as Shrove Monday or Lundi Gras. Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, will next be celebrated in Alexandria, Louisiana on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Parades will begin before that date.
See you at one of the Alexandria Mardi Gras Parades in 2025!
For the most current information, schedules and events, we recommend a visit to |
Throw me something mister!Beads in the air at Mardi Gras ... these cheap strings of multi-colored beads have been thrown from floats to eager parade-goers for decades. Also thrown from floats are the coin-like plastic or wooden "doubloons".
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What is the traditional Mardi Gras King Cake?
Long a Mardi Gras tradition, the King Cake is made from a rich dough and filled with cream cheese, cinnamon, chocolate, or other goodies. It is topped with a glaze and sprinkles, in the Mardi Gras colors or gold, green, and purple.
There is traditionally a small baby inside the cake ... whoever gets the baby in their piece of the King Cake gets the honor of bringing the next cake to the party or office!
It's just not Mardi Gras in Alexandria without a King Cake!
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Mardi Gras Dates in Upcoming Years
Calculating future Mardi Gras dates for Alexandria really isn't that complicated!
Easter is on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. The date can range from March 23 to April 25. Ash Wednesday is 46 days before Easter, and Fat Tuesday is always the day before Ash Wednesday.
With that said, here is a list of the next four Mardi Gras dates:
- March 4, 2025
- February 17, 2026
- February 9, 2027
- February 29, 2028
Need Lodging for Mardi Gras in Alexandria?
| This website has no affiliation or connection with the listed hotel properties. It is always recommended that travelers do their own research and make informed decisions about the hotels they book. |
Among the lodging offerings located in the Alexandria-Pineville area are:
Hotels Along Alexandria's South MacArthur Drive |
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3830 Alexandria Mall Drive - near the Alexandria Mall and the South Traffic Circle |
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3810 Alexandria Mall Drive, Alexandria, LA 71301 |
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Home2 Suites by Hilton Alexandria 3800 Alexandria Mall Drive, Alexandria, LA 71301 |
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2839 South MacArthur Drive, Alexandria, LA 71301 |
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Hotels Along Alexandria's North MacArthur Drive |
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Four Points by Sheraton Alexandria 2301 North MacArthur Dr, Alexandria, LA 71303 |
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Holiday Inn Express and Suites 2340 MacArthur Dr, Alexandria, LA 71303 |
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2344 North MacArthur Dr, Alexandria, LA 71303 |
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2001 North Bolton Avenue, Alexandria, LA 71303 |
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2301 North MacArthur Dr, Alexandria, LA 71303 |
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Best Western of Alexandria Inn & Suites and Conference Center 2720 North MacArthur Drive, Alexandria, LA 71303 |
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Hotels at the Airbase Road exit from I-49, near Alexandria International Airport |
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| Hampton Inn & Suites - at the Airbase Road exit on I-49 |  |
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6116 West Calhoun Dr, Alexandria, LA 71303 |
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6015 Old Boyce Rd, Alexandria, LA 71303 |
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Hotels Downtown near the Randolph Riverfront Center |
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200 Desoto Street |
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| Holiday Inn Alexandria Downtown - Downtown, 701 Fourth Street, adjacent to the convention center |  |
Hotels in Pineville |
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| Holiday Inn Express & Suites - 2820 Monroe Highway, Pineville, LA |  |
| Country Inn & Suites by Radisson - 2727 Monroe Highway, Pineville, LA |  |
| Sleep Inn & Suites - 3411 Highway 165, Pineville, LA |  |
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