Once again, New Orleans’ annual Mardi Gras celebration makes its journey across the Gulf Coast all the way to Tampa Bay. From crawfish boils and indulgent Fat Tuesday dinners to brass bands and Creole-inspired food and drink specials—here are over 20 Mardi Gras specials, events and block parties happening in every corner of Tampa Bay.
And if you don't see your event on this list, email it to [email protected]
[email protected] This rum-centric celebration features a boatload of drink specials, beads, and some old fashioned, New Orleans-style partying. Tuesday, Feb. 21. 548 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. @bar548dtsp on Facebook
Bayboro Brewing This St. Pete brewery is hosting its annual crawfish party once again, and this year’s rendition encourages you to eat as much as you possibly can. A ticket also comes with a free beer and access to live music. Saturday, Feb. 25. $25-$55. 2390 5th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. Bayborobrewing.com
Big Easy Bar This Ybor City watering hole boasts New Orleans-themed drinks and decor year-round, but will celebrate Mardi Gras 2023 with jazz music, Creole food specials and burlesque performances. Tuesday,Feb. 21. 1704 E 7th Ave., Ybor City. Thebigeasybar.com
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Busch Gardens’ Mardi Gras programming runs until the beginning of next month, so there’s plenty of time to catch beads at its parades, enjoy its live entertainment, and snack on Cajun-inspired food and drink specials. Through March 5; access included in the price of ticket. 10165 McKinley Dr., Tampa. buschgardens.com
The Castle Tampa’s hottest club hosts a LGBTQ+, Mardi Gras-themed party where attendees will democratically elect the “King of Mardi Gras,” aka whoever ends up with the most beads at the end of the night. Saturday, Feb. 19. $10. 2004 N 16th St., Tampa. Castleybor.com
Cider Press Vegan Gastropub The new and improved Cider Press typically sells New Orleans-inspired vegan fare, but it’s kicking it up a notch with Fat Tuesday-inspired food and drink specials through the 21st. 3118 3rd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Ciderpresspub.com
Dunedin Mardi Gras Parade Arguably the largest Mardi Gras celebration in all of Tampa Bay, Dunedin’s annual parade features various food and drink vendors, live music and over 50 colorful floats that will cruise through the heart of downtown. Saturday, Feb. 18. Douglas Ave. & Main St., Dunedin. lovedowntowndunedin.com
Dunedin Smokehouse This bar and restaurant lies at the end of the Dunedin parade’s route, and will boast a ton of food and drink specials of its own, in addition to live music all day-long. Saturday, Feb. 18. 471 Main St., Dunedin. Thedunedinsmokehouse.com
Fenway Hotel This hotel and accompanying rooftop bar celebrates Fat Tuesday in style, with live music from the Acme Jazz Garage and a cash bar with New Orleans-inspired specialty cocktails. Tuesday,Feb. 21. $55. 453 Edgewater Dr., Dunedin. fenwayhotel.com
The Floridian Social This “elevated circus show” features a full brass band, New Orleans-style cocktail specials—like the frozen daiquiri, hurricane and tequila hand grenade—and beads thrown from its mezzanine. Saturday,Feb. 18. $15. 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Floridiansocialclub.live
Happy's Bayou Bites Riding off the hype of Dunedin’s annual Mardi Gras parade, this no-frills, “Cajun-Country” eatery will dish out crawfish etouffee and shrimp skewers alongside other food and drink specials. Saturday,Feb 18. 431 Skinner Blvd., Dunedin. happysbayoubites.com
Park & Rec DTSP This downtown bar crawl starts at Park & Rec and ends at Pour Judgement, with tons of beads, drink specials and partying in between. Saturday,Feb 18. $14.99. 100 4th St. S, St. Petersburg. Topshelfcrawls.com
Quench Lounge This Largo-based club always has exciting events— from drag shows to themed karaoke parties—but its Mardi Gras party will be chock full of bead-throwing and dancing. Friday, Feb. 24. 13284 66th St. N, Largo. Quenchlounge.com
Tibby's New Orleans Kitchen This party features an all-day happy hour, live music, king cake, costumes, and various specials, like $20 hurricane buckets and loaded Cajun pasta platters. The NOLA-themed restaurant also hosts a family-friendly Mardi Gras party on Saturday, Feb. 18. Tuesday, Feb 21. 1721 West Brandon Blvd., Brandon. tibbys.com/mardigras
Twisted Tiki A massive Mardi Gras block party will take over St. Pete Beach’s Corey Avenue, as several of its bars and restaurants—like Twisted Tiki, Grapes Wine Cafe, Chill Restaurant and Swigwam—will be boasting their own food and drink specials. Tuesday, Feb. 21. 300-400 Blocks Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach. twistedtikistpetebeach.com
Unrefined Brewing Music, costumes, beads, beer—what more could you want from a Mardi Gras party? If your answer was a crawfish boil, well Unrefined Brewing’s weekend-long celebration has that, too. Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 18 & 19. 312 E Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs. Unrefinedbrewing.com
VFW POST 39 Live music, cheap drink specials, raffles and a drag show round out this Mardi Gras party, which will raise money to repair the 2nd floor of St. Petersburg’s Post 39. Saturday, Feb.18. 2599 Central Ave. N, St. Petersburg. @VFWPost39 on Facebook
Vista at the Top Indulge in a proper Fat Tuesday feast, complete with all-you-can-crawfish, king cake, drink specials and tasty waterfront views. Tuesday, Feb. 21. $50. 214 Madonna Blvd.,T ierra Verde. Eventbrite.com
Zyedco Brew Werks This NOLA-style brewery pays homage to its hometown with live entertainment and Creole delicacies like gumbo, muffalettas, shrimp & grits and beignets. $35 bucks gets you access to its crawfish boil and a draft beer of your choice. Tuesday, Feb. 21. $35. 1902 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City. Zydecobeer.com
260 First Beads, booze and Bacardi is the name of the game for this downtown club’s celebration. A live DJ will keep the party bumping until the wee hours of the morning. Feb. 18. 260 1st Ave. N, St. Petersburg. 260first.com
3 Daughters Brewing Blues musician Mitch Woods provides the tunes at this Mardi Gras party, which also features an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil and various drink specials. Tuesday, Feb. 21. $540-$50. 222 22nd St. S, St. Petersburg. 3dbrewing.com
7th Annual Uptown Mardi Gras Block Party This annual block party happens near St. Pete’s Historic Round Lake Park, and will feature live music from the Bay Area Fiddlers, The Burgonauts and Jengle Slap. BYOB encouraged. Saturday,Feb. 18. 710 5th St N, St Petersburg. Historicuptown.com
And if you don't see your event on this list, email it to [email protected]
[email protected] This rum-centric celebration features a boatload of drink specials, beads, and some old fashioned, New Orleans-style partying. Tuesday, Feb. 21. 548 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. @bar548dtsp on Facebook
Bayboro Brewing This St. Pete brewery is hosting its annual crawfish party once again, and this year’s rendition encourages you to eat as much as you possibly can. A ticket also comes with a free beer and access to live music. Saturday, Feb. 25. $25-$55. 2390 5th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. Bayborobrewing.com
Big Easy Bar This Ybor City watering hole boasts New Orleans-themed drinks and decor year-round, but will celebrate Mardi Gras 2023 with jazz music, Creole food specials and burlesque performances. Tuesday,Feb. 21. 1704 E 7th Ave., Ybor City. Thebigeasybar.com
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Busch Gardens’ Mardi Gras programming runs until the beginning of next month, so there’s plenty of time to catch beads at its parades, enjoy its live entertainment, and snack on Cajun-inspired food and drink specials. Through March 5; access included in the price of ticket. 10165 McKinley Dr., Tampa. buschgardens.com
The Castle Tampa’s hottest club hosts a LGBTQ+, Mardi Gras-themed party where attendees will democratically elect the “King of Mardi Gras,” aka whoever ends up with the most beads at the end of the night. Saturday, Feb. 19. $10. 2004 N 16th St., Tampa. Castleybor.com
Cider Press Vegan Gastropub The new and improved Cider Press typically sells New Orleans-inspired vegan fare, but it’s kicking it up a notch with Fat Tuesday-inspired food and drink specials through the 21st. 3118 3rd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Ciderpresspub.com
Dunedin Mardi Gras Parade Arguably the largest Mardi Gras celebration in all of Tampa Bay, Dunedin’s annual parade features various food and drink vendors, live music and over 50 colorful floats that will cruise through the heart of downtown. Saturday, Feb. 18. Douglas Ave. & Main St., Dunedin. lovedowntowndunedin.com
Dunedin Smokehouse This bar and restaurant lies at the end of the Dunedin parade’s route, and will boast a ton of food and drink specials of its own, in addition to live music all day-long. Saturday, Feb. 18. 471 Main St., Dunedin. Thedunedinsmokehouse.com
Fenway Hotel This hotel and accompanying rooftop bar celebrates Fat Tuesday in style, with live music from the Acme Jazz Garage and a cash bar with New Orleans-inspired specialty cocktails. Tuesday,Feb. 21. $55. 453 Edgewater Dr., Dunedin. fenwayhotel.com
The Floridian Social This “elevated circus show” features a full brass band, New Orleans-style cocktail specials—like the frozen daiquiri, hurricane and tequila hand grenade—and beads thrown from its mezzanine. Saturday,Feb. 18. $15. 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Floridiansocialclub.live
Happy's Bayou Bites Riding off the hype of Dunedin’s annual Mardi Gras parade, this no-frills, “Cajun-Country” eatery will dish out crawfish etouffee and shrimp skewers alongside other food and drink specials. Saturday,Feb 18. 431 Skinner Blvd., Dunedin. happysbayoubites.com
Park & Rec DTSP This downtown bar crawl starts at Park & Rec and ends at Pour Judgement, with tons of beads, drink specials and partying in between. Saturday,Feb 18. $14.99. 100 4th St. S, St. Petersburg. Topshelfcrawls.com
Quench Lounge This Largo-based club always has exciting events— from drag shows to themed karaoke parties—but its Mardi Gras party will be chock full of bead-throwing and dancing. Friday, Feb. 24. 13284 66th St. N, Largo. Quenchlounge.com
Tibby's New Orleans Kitchen This party features an all-day happy hour, live music, king cake, costumes, and various specials, like $20 hurricane buckets and loaded Cajun pasta platters. The NOLA-themed restaurant also hosts a family-friendly Mardi Gras party on Saturday, Feb. 18. Tuesday, Feb 21. 1721 West Brandon Blvd., Brandon. tibbys.com/mardigras
Twisted Tiki A massive Mardi Gras block party will take over St. Pete Beach’s Corey Avenue, as several of its bars and restaurants—like Twisted Tiki, Grapes Wine Cafe, Chill Restaurant and Swigwam—will be boasting their own food and drink specials. Tuesday, Feb. 21. 300-400 Blocks Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach. twistedtikistpetebeach.com
Unrefined Brewing Music, costumes, beads, beer—what more could you want from a Mardi Gras party? If your answer was a crawfish boil, well Unrefined Brewing’s weekend-long celebration has that, too. Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 18 & 19. 312 E Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs. Unrefinedbrewing.com
VFW POST 39 Live music, cheap drink specials, raffles and a drag show round out this Mardi Gras party, which will raise money to repair the 2nd floor of St. Petersburg’s Post 39. Saturday, Feb.18. 2599 Central Ave. N, St. Petersburg. @VFWPost39 on Facebook
Vista at the Top Indulge in a proper Fat Tuesday feast, complete with all-you-can-crawfish, king cake, drink specials and tasty waterfront views. Tuesday, Feb. 21. $50. 214 Madonna Blvd.,T ierra Verde. Eventbrite.com
Zyedco Brew Werks This NOLA-style brewery pays homage to its hometown with live entertainment and Creole delicacies like gumbo, muffalettas, shrimp & grits and beignets. $35 bucks gets you access to its crawfish boil and a draft beer of your choice. Tuesday, Feb. 21. $35. 1902 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City. Zydecobeer.com
260 First Beads, booze and Bacardi is the name of the game for this downtown club’s celebration. A live DJ will keep the party bumping until the wee hours of the morning. Feb. 18. 260 1st Ave. N, St. Petersburg. 260first.com
3 Daughters Brewing Blues musician Mitch Woods provides the tunes at this Mardi Gras party, which also features an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil and various drink specials. Tuesday, Feb. 21. $540-$50. 222 22nd St. S, St. Petersburg. 3dbrewing.com
7th Annual Uptown Mardi Gras Block Party This annual block party happens near St. Pete’s Historic Round Lake Park, and will feature live music from the Bay Area Fiddlers, The Burgonauts and Jengle Slap. BYOB encouraged. Saturday,Feb. 18. 710 5th St N, St Petersburg. Historicuptown.com
