ORLANDO, Fla. – The sights and sounds of The Big Easy have returned to the streets of Universal Orlando.

Running from Feb. 5-April 24, the theme park is promising an even louder, wilder and spicier Mardi Gras celebration than ever before. Guests can check out a colorful and energetic parade, see live entertainment and star-studded concerts, visit incredibly-themed merchandise locations, savor food and drinks from around the world and catch a whole lot of beads.

Check out the guide below on everything you need to know about Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras to help plan your visit.

Universal Orlando “Planet Mardi Gras” parade

This year, the Mardi Gras parade is back in the streets of Universal following a short hiatus. Guests are sure to catch handfuls of beads as the parade returns with an all-new theme, “Planet Mardi Gras.” The parade features six new and incredibly-detailed floats that fuse Mardi Gras flare with cosmic-inspired elements such as comets, rockets, Martians and so much more, leaders said.

According to Universal, these displays will join six other popular floats including the Mardi Gras Jester and a nearly 50-foot-long King Gator.

The parade starts and ends near Universal’s Horror Make-Up Show.

See parade start times below.

• 5:15 p.m. - Feb. 25
• 6:15 p.m. - Feb. 6-11, 14-17, 22-24, 28 and March 1
• 7:15 p.m. - Feb. 8, 13, 18, 27 and March 2-4, 7-11
• 7:30 p.m. - Feb. 21, March 14-17, 21-24, 28-31 and April 3-7, 9-24
• 7:45 p.m. - Feb. 5, 12, 19, 20, 26 and March 5, 6, 12, 13, 18-20, 25-27
• There is no Mardi Gras parade on April 1, 2 or 8

Guests will once again get the opportunity to ride atop and toss out beads from the Mardi Gras floats. Reservations will be accepted in the park via the virtual line experience. Universal said a limited number of spots are available per night. The opportunity also has some guidelines to participate.

Concerts

Music legend Diana Ross, global superstar Khalid, Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Marshmello, and 12 other top artists will perform during select nights of the celebration. Concerts begin at 8:30 p.m. on the Music Plaza Stage near Rip Ride Rocket.

Check out the list of artists and dates below.

Daytime entertainment

As guests sip creative drinks and savor delicious, good foods, they can also check out some daytime entertainment along the way. Head over to the French Quarter Courtyard in the New York area of Universal Studios to see jazz bands performing. You can also grab a picture or two with one of the incredibly talented Mardi Gras performers.

Universal is also bringing back its Krewe Crawl for this year’s event.

For $10, guests can make their way around Universal Studios and visit 12 locations to discover planet-themed masks in gift shops. Once found, guests can ask a team member for a redemption stamp on their “out-of-this world” map. When all of the masks have been found, guests will get the ultimate piece of Mardi Gras treasure: a Krewe Crawl mask.

To get a map, guests can visit a participating gift shop location around Universal Studios. We found the best place to purchase a map was at the Universal Studios Store near the entrance gates. The scavenger hunt can be done in one day, or it can be a fun thing to spread out over Universal’s Mardi Gras season.

Food and Drinks

No party is complete without food and drinks. Guests will find all of the New Orleans bites and sips at specialty-themed tents and bars across Universal Studios.

Check out the menus below.

New Orleans: Planet Mardi Gras

Four food and drink kiosks (located in Gramercy Park, near Race through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon)

• King Cake: Traditional King Cake with cinnamon swirl icing and colored sanding sugar. *Item may be boxed up so you can take it home!
• Beignets: Sweet fried pastry with powdered sugar.
• Mardi Gras Marshmallow Pie: Fresh made marshmallow, graham cracker cookies, chocolate, Mardi Gras sprinkles.
• Cajun Twisted Frank.
• Muffuletta: Mortadella, salami, ham, mozzarella and provolone cheese, olive relish on a toasted sesame seed bun.
• Chicken & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya: Mixed rice with andouille sausage, chicken, shrimp, peppers, tomatoes, finished with a spiced crawfish.
• Shrimp Gumbo with rice: New Orleans-style gumbo with gulf shrimp, bacon, andouille sausage, okra and bell peppers, served over white rice.
• Cajun Twisted Tater.
• Cajun Twisted Frank with Chorizo Queso: Flash-fried ribbon potato, thinly sliced, skewered and stuffed with a Nathan’s Famous foot-long hot dog.
• Category 5 Punch: Myers’s Dark Rum, Cruzan Aged Dark Rum, passion fruit purée, orange and lime juice, grenadine, agave nectar.
• A New Twist on Taters: Old Forester Bourbon, Gran Gala Orange Liqueur, brown sugar sweet potato syrup, Mexican chocolate bitters, lemon juice.
• Piña Verde: Bacardi Superior Rum, Chartreuse green liqueur, Coco López Cream of Coconut, pineapple and lime juice, fresh mint.
• Abita Purple Haze.
• North Coast Brewing Co. Pranqster.

Food stand next to Mel’s Drive-In

• Crawfish & Shrimp Boil: Mixed bag of crawfish, shrimp, andouille sausage, red bliss potatoes, corn on the cob.
• Crawfish Boil: Mixed bag of crawfish, andouille sausage, red bliss potatoes, corn on the cob.
• Beignets: Sweet fried pastry with powdered sugar.
• Mardi Gras Marshmallow Pie: Fresh made marshmallow, graham cracker cookies, chocolate, Mardi Gras sprinkles.
• Category 5 Punch: Myers’s Dark Rum, Cruzan Aged Dark Rum, passion fruit purée, orange and lime juice, grenadine, agave nectar.
• Piña Verde: Bacardi Superior Rum, Chartreuse green liqueur, Coco López Cream of Coconut, pineapple and lime juice, fresh mint.
• Abita Purple Haze.
• North Coast Brewing Co. Pranqster.

Italy

Located at Louie’s Italian Restaurant, gelato window

• Tomato Basil Arancini: Fried risotto filled with tomato basil mascarpone with a spicy arrabiata sauce.
• Meatball Garlic Bread Pressed Slider: Italian meatballs topped with mozzarella cheese stuffed between two slices of Texas Garlic Toast.
• Orange Dream Spiked Float: New Amsterdam Vodka, Gran Gala Orange Liqueur, vanilla gelato and Orange Fanta.
• Vanilla-Amaretto Rum Gelato Float: Cruzan Aged Dark Rum, Disaronno Amaretto, vanilla gelato and Coca-Cola.
• Triple-Raspberry Gelato Float: 360 Red Raspberry Vodka, raspberry purée, raspberry gelato and Sprite.
• Vietti Moscato: Sweet sparkling white wine.
• Querceto Chianti: Dry red wine.
• Truffle Hunter Barbaresco.

Bloody Mary Bar

Located next to Transformers: The Ride

• Traditional Bloody Mary, spiked with New Amsterdam Vodka, your choice of traditional mild or wild version with Louisiana hot sauce and Sriracha hot chili sauce.

Floribbean: Cape Canaveral

Located next to Lombard’s Seafood and Grille

• Sweet Corn Johnny Cake: Pulled jerk jackfruit, blood orange creama, avocado, yellow mole sauce.
• Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche: Poached shrimp, marinated radish, blood orange sorbet.
• Buttermilk Strawberry Shortcakes: Marinated strawberries, basil mascarpone cream, orange blossom honey on a buttermilk biscuit.
• Buttermilk Lemon Blueberry Shortcakes: Blueberry compote, basil mascarpone cream, orange blossom honey on a buttermilk biscuit.
• Conch Fritters: Flash fried conch served with grilled pineapple and a pineapple remoulade.
• Cape Guayaba: New Amsterdam vodka, guava and lime juice, agave nectar, fresh mint.
• Goombay Smash: Cruzan Aged Dark Rum, Ron Q Coco Rum, Grand Marnier, Coco López Cream of Coconut, pineapple, orange and lime juice.
• Tampa Bay Old Elephant Foot IPA.
• Swamp Head Wild Night: Honey cream ale.
• Mohua Sauvignon Blanc: Dry white wine.

Fusion: Machine Planet

Located next to MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack

• Creole Crab Beignets: Cajun brown sugar dusted beignets, stuffed with creamy crab dip and scallions.
• Ube Ice Cream Bubble Waffle: Purple sweet potato ice cream in a matcha green tea bubble waffle, topped with marshmallows, toasted coconut, strawberry Pocky sticks and popping candies.
• Mardi Gras Bubble Waffle: Ube and matcha swirl soft-serve ice cream in a Belgian bubble waffle, topped with Mardi Gras sprinkles and sweet corn Pocky sticks.
• Carrot Cake Concoction: Frozen carrot cake slush topper with purple ube ice cream.
• Junk Barge Fuel: Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Kahlúa, Monin Caramel, Mexican chocolate bitters, agave nectar, iced coffee.
• Duclaw Sweet Baby Java: Espresso bean infused chocolate peanut butter porter.
• Fonseca Ruby Port: Sweet red fortified wine.
• Fonseca Tawny Port: Sweet dark fortified wine.
• Croft Pink Port: Sweet rosé fortified wine.

India: Floral Planet

Located near Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone

• Vegetable Vindaloo: Romanesco cauliflower florets and sweet potatoes, braised in a hot and sour broth, served with basmati rice.
• Chana Masala: Spiced chickpea curry, served with tomato and onion salad, basmati rice, naan bread.
• Vegan Golden Chai Chocolate Blondies: Chai-spiced vegan dessert bar with dark and white vegan chocolates.
• Potato, Pea and Carrot Samosas: Served with green chutney.
• Emerald Mojito: Bacardi Superior Rum, agave nectar, lime juice, tropical green tea, fresh mint.
• Gaea Smash: New Amsterdam Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, sparkling mineral water, fresh purple opal basil.
• Allagash White: Belgian-Style witbier.
• New Belgium Dominga Mimosa Sour: Wood-aged, orange-flavored sour wheat ale.
• Raventós I Blanc Cava: Dry sparkling white wine.

Southeast Asia: Volcano Planet

Located near Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone

• Papas Bravas: Crispy roasted potatoes, salsa bravas, garlic aioli, parsley.
• Savory Sopaipilla: Roasted butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, pebre salsa, cilantro.
• Shrimp Laksa: Shrimp, tofu, chicken, hard boiled eggs, Asian noodles in a spicy coconut curry broth.
• Rou Jia Mo: Braised pork, Thai chili peppers, mustard greens, cilantro in a soft griddled bun.
• Cosmic Mangonada: Frozen purple mango slush layered with Tajín seasoning and Chamoy sauce (non-alcoholic).
• Cosmic Cornucopia: New Amsterdam Gin, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Owen’s Cucumber, Lime and Mint Craft Mixer, honeydew melon balls.
• Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze: Hazy IPA.
• Stiegl Radler Zitrone: Lemon Radler.
• Sauvion Vouvray: Slightly sweet white wine.

Central America: Comet Cruisin’

Located at KidZone Pizza Company in Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone

• Choripan with French fries: Grilled chorizo, garlic mayo, chimichurri, tomato and onion curtido, split-top roll.
• Salchipapas: Chorizo, chipotle ketchup, dijonnaise, tomato and onion curtido, crinkle cut fries.
• Guava Comet Margarita: El Jimador Blanco Tequila, guava, white grapefruit and lime juice, agave nectar.
• Ommegang Neon Rainbows: Hazy IPA.
• Finca Resalso Ribera Del Duero: Dry red wine.
• Finca Nueva Rioja Crianza: Dry red wine.
• Carro Yecla: Dry red blend.

Brazil

Located at Café La Bamba patio

• Pulled Chicken Coxinha: Crispy pulled chicken teardrop fritters.
• Romeo & Juliet Coxinha: Guava and cheese-filled pastry bites
• Beef Coxinha: Tender beef filled crispy rissole.
• Strawberry Caipirinha Punch: Leblon Cachaça, agave nectar, strawberry purée, lime juice.
• Pineapple Caipirinha Punch: Leblon Cachaça, agave nectar, pineapple and lime juice.

Guests can save on food and drinks by purchasing a Universal Orlando food and beverage card. Get $75 worth of food and drinks for just $65, or get $150 in food and drinks for $120. Cards are available for purchase at food kiosks around the event.

Mardi Gras food and drink specials are also available at Universal Orlando Resort hotels. Click here to see the list of offerings.

Menus can also be found on the Universal Orlando app.

Mardi Gras Tribute Store

The Mardi Gras Tribute Store is back with the theme “Float Factory Warehouse.”

The stunning store is located in Universal Studios’ New York-themed area of the park, which is between The Race through New York starring Jimmy Fallon and Revenge of the Mummy attractions. Guests will venture through four highly-themed rooms designed to visually depict the creative process of bringing a parade float to life.

The tribute store is the perfect place to purchase Mardi Gras merchandise such as beads, masks and T-shirts.

Check out what you can see inside.

In addition to the Mardi Gras Tribute Store, select merchandise can be found at kiosks across the theme park, resort gifts shops and online.

Click here to learn more and to find out details about Universal Orlando Resort.

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