The French name Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, from the custom of using all the fats in the home before Lent in preparation for fasting and abstinence. In the United States it means we need to prepare for the tossing of beads, enjoying the parades and maybe stocking up on some favorite beverages for the revelers you might invite over.

Mardi Gras Krewes started in Mobile, Alabama in 1703. Biloxi began their celebration in 1720 and New Orleans held their first parade in 1833. The parades started on "Pleasure Island" in 1978 when a group of locals decided Gulf Shores needed a parade. Those locals formed the Pleasure Island Players and thus Mardi Gras began in Gulf Shores. A year later the Mystic Order of Shiners joined the Pleasure Island Players to become what is now the oldest parading order in Baldwin County.

This year the Grand Marshall for the parade is Gulf Shores own Lucy Buffett. After you enjoy the main Gulf Shores parade, make sure and visit LuLu's Mardi Gras Boat Parade starting at 4PM.

MARDI GRAS PARADE INFO:

2024 Mardi Gras Parade will take place on Tuesday, February 13 at 10 a.m.

The 45th Annual Mardi Gras Parade will begin at the intersection of Highway 59 and East Beach Boulevard (Highway 182) and will travel along East Beach Boulevard to the Gulf State Park Pier Road.

The City of Gulf Shores would like to make all residents and visitors aware of the following traffic flow modifications related to the Mardi Gras Parade:

6 a.m. 

• West Gulf Place beach access and parking lot will be closed. Parking will only be available for parade participants and float setup. 

8 a.m.

• West Beach Boulevard (Highway 182 West) will be closed between Highway 59 and West 3rd street for the staging of the parade.

9:45 a.m.

• Access to West Beach Boulevard and East BEach Boulevard via Highway 59 will be closed. 
• Access to East Beach Boulevard via East 1st, East 2nd, and East 4th Street will be closed.
• Traffic headed westbound on East Beach Boulevard near the Gulf State Park Pier will be diverted to State Park Road (Highway 135) for access to Highway 59.

10 a.m.

• Mardi Gras Parade begins.

11:30 a.m.

• All normal Traffic Conditions should resume.

You can download a parade route map by clicking here.

Parking for the Parade:

The City of Gulf Shores has plenty of parking options near East Beach Boulevard, where the Mardi Gras Parade will take place. They invite residents and guest to park in one of the following public parking locations:

• West 2nd Street
• West 1st Street
• West 1st Avenue from Highway 59 to West 1st Street
• East 1st Street
• East 1st Avenue from Highway 59 to East 2nd Street
• North side of East 2nd Avenue City-Owned right of way parking
• City-Owned public parking lot to the West of Gulf Island Grill

So as they say "Laissez les bons temps rouler"