Mardi Gras in Minneapolis
Mardi Gras is upon us! It’s a footnote in mid-winter for most of us, but in New Orleans, Mardi Gras is the wildest two weeks in a town known for wild weeks. Jazzfest is the holy grail for music lovers, Halloween is for the costume kids, and Mardi Gras brings party people from all over the world to swig Sazerac and beg for beads. If you can’t swing the New Orleans trip for the inevitably epic party this year, The Pourhouse and Mardi Gras Bar Crawl are bringing Bourbon Street to your doorstep.
What is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras translates to “Fat Tuesday”, and is the last day of the Carnival season. It is the day before Ash Wednesday, so everyone wants to get a little debauchery in before they give up life’s joys for Lent. While Mardi Gras is technically just the Tuesday before Lent begins, the party peaks for the two weeks leading up to it. That whole time frame is generally regarded as Mardi Gras in New Orleans. If you plan on giving something up for forty days and forty nights, you may as well give in a little and get down beforehand.
Mardi Gras is also a time for community. Everyone in the neighborhood comes out for the party, and many people in New Orleans even have Monday (Lundi Gras) and Tuesday (Mardi Gras) off of work as paid holidays. It’s a great chance to meet your neighbors. While the rest of the country doesn’t take it that seriously, there are a lot of people who still love to celebrate Mardi Gras, and Endymion Saturday is the perfect night.
Endymion Saturday is the Saturday before Mardi Gras Day, and is named for the fact that the Krewe of Endymion parade rolls that day. It’s a night of Krewe balls and endless French Quarter nights, and there’s a magic in the air specific to that day. It falls on February 22nd this year. Soak up a little of that magic and head downtown for the big Minnesota Mardi Gras party!
The Party
In true New Orleans fashion, the Mardi Gras Bar Crawl is taking it to the streets, and building a mobile party around sweet beverages and engaging entertainment. Crawlers will receive a bunch of beads, a 16oz Mardi Gras color changing stadium cup for your drinks, masquerade masks for the first 250 people at registration, and great deals with free admission to all of the participating bars. It’s even forecast to be super nice, so you get to spend some quality time in near spring temps!
Mardi Gras Bar Crawl
At the bars, nothing says the south like sugary, boozy concoctions. Southerners wander from place to place, drinking up sweet cocktails and sno balls to beat the heat all year round, and it doesn’t stop for Mardi Gras! The Pourhouse is mixing Louisiana libations and serving up drink specials to crawlers all night. We’ve got a $3 mystery shot, $4 rails and $5 domestic bottles to keep your cup filled and ya face smiling.
We’ve got a lot happening, so you and your cohorts can keep your party going well into the night. Pacing yourself is important. Arranging a sober ride will let you take advantage of every minute of Mardi Gras 2020. Hope to see you on the route. Tell your mom’anem!