Enjoy a festival with Cajun and Creole food, masks, parties, dancing and more! (@Visit Beaufort NC)

Beaufort's Mardi Gras is a Taste of New Orleans Without Setting Foot in Louisiana

Beaufort's Waterfront Mardi Gras Festival is a festive three-day celebration featuring feasts, parades, costumes, masks, and lively events, making it a unique and quirky experience in Beaufort, NC.

Event Overview

– Beaufort’s Waterfront Mardi Gras Festival is a three-day celebration from February 9 to 11, 2024.
– Highlights include a Masquerade Ball, Parade and Street Carnival, and the Sinner’s Remorse Brunch.

Mardi Gras Parade

– Parade route on Front Street and Middle Lane.
– Features diverse “krewes” in costumes tossing jewelry and charms.
– Notable presence of the Sweet Potato Queens, a group of women aged 40-70 in elaborate costumes.

Street Carnival

– New Orleans-inspired food, drinks, and live music.
– Cajun cuisine, including gumbo, sausages, barbecue, shrimp, po’boys, and king cakes.
– Children’s activities, roaming street performers, and arts tents.
– Free admission from 11 am to 5 pm.

Pro/Am Gumbo Competition

– Classic New Orleanian-style gumbo sampling.
– Professional and amateur divisions judged separately.
– Takes place under the tent in the West Parking Lot on Front Street.
– Ticketed event from 12 pm to 10 pm.

Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball

– Premier event with interactive food stations by Beaufort Grocery Company.
– Bourbon Street Tasting sponsored by Woodford Reserve.
– Takes place in the West Parking Lot on Front Street.
– Ticketed event from 6 pm to 10 pm.

Sinner’s Remorse Brunch

– Louisiana brunch with authentic New Orleans breakfast dishes.
– Tito’s Bloody Mary Bar, Mimosas, and live music on Front Street.
– Takes place in the West Parking Lot on Front Street.
– Ticketed event from 11 am to 2 pm.

Weekend Stay

– The Beaufort Hotel is the official hotel for the 2025 Mardi Gras Celebration. Tripfox Travel Club members can find discounted rates.