Here are 6 places to celebrate Mardi Gras in Louisville

Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal
·4 min read
Nord's Bakery's king cake, for the Mardi Gras season. Jan. 29, 2021
Nord's Bakery's king cake, for the Mardi Gras season. Jan. 29, 2021

If you're seeing King cakes, jester masks, colorful beads, and Cajun-inspired dishes, it must be time to celebrate Mardi Gras, which is French for "Fat Tuesday," and is the practice of eating rich, fatty foods before the fasting of the Lenten season. This year, Mardi Gras falls on Feb. 13, with Ash Wednesday falling on Feb. 14.

Can’t make it to Bourbon Street in New Orleans? Here's how you can celebrate Mardi Gras in Louisville.

Mardi Gras Bar Crawl at 4th Street Live

WHAT: Fourth Street Live! is turning Louisville into Bourbon Street for a big Mardi Gras celebration and party. Participating venues: Fourth Street Live!, Sports & Social Club, Guy Fieri's Smokehouse, Pizza Bar, Locos Louisville, Howl at the Moon, PBR Louisville. Presented by Top Shelf Crawls.

WHERE: Fourth Street Live!, 411 S. Fourth St.

WHEN: Feb. 10, 2-8 p.m. Register from 1-3 p.m.

COST: Tickets start at $14.99

MORE INFORMATION: Ticket includes Souvenir Mardi Gras Koozie, no cover charge at participating restaurants, beads, crawl drink specials, dancing and DJ. For ages 21 and older. 4thstlive.com.

3rd Annual Mardi Gras Party

WHAT: The Living Room Series (TLRS) presents its 3rd Annual Mardi Gras Party. The party includes music from Hot Sauce Brass Band, Cajun-inspired dishes by Chef Dusty and King Cake from Nord's. The event is BYOB.

WHERE: TLRS@RUD, 422 W. Oak St.

WHEN: Feb. 10, 7-11 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.; show 8 p.m.

COST: Tickets start at $20

MORE INFORMATION: eventbrite.com

A Taste of the Highlands, Mardi Gras!

The Bourbon Bacon Bloody Mary, $10, from Minor's Lounge at Limestone Branch Distillery. The cocktail features Yellowstone Bourbon, hickory smoked bacon salt on the rim with a bloody Kentucky mix and green olives.
The Bourbon Bacon Bloody Mary, $10, from Minor's Lounge at Limestone Branch Distillery. The cocktail features Yellowstone Bourbon, hickory smoked bacon salt on the rim with a bloody Kentucky mix and green olives.

WHAT: King & Co. CPAs and People's Bank present the 6th Mardi Gras celebration of The Highlands of Louisville's Restaurant Row. Eat your heart out this Mardi Gras on savory and sweet tastes from local restaurants paired with a Limestone Branch Distillery cocktail, unique reds and whites by Old 502 Winery, craft brews by Pivot Brewing, a pour-over event by Safai Coffee, and fruit-infused Louisville Pure Tap. Music by Billy Goat Strut Revue and Jared Foos.

WHO: Participating restaurants include Beyond the Sun, Big Bad Breakfast, Bristol Bar and Grille, The Cafe, The Eagle, El Mundo, Kizito Cookies, Jack Fry's, Mark's Feed Store, Morris Deli and Catering, O'Shea's Irish Pub, Ramsi's Cafe on the World, Uptown Cafe and Wiltshire Pantry.

WHERE: Highlands Community Campus, 1228 E. Breckinridge St.

WHEN: Feb. 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

COST: Tickets start at $60

MORE INFORMATION: For an additional fee, sample several brands from Limestone Branch Distillery with a Limestone Branch ambassador. eventbrite.com.

5th Annual Rouler: Mardi Gras Party

In 2021, Lee Kresovsky started baking King Cakes after not being able to order her favorite one from New Orleans.
In 2021, Lee Kresovsky started baking King Cakes after not being able to order her favorite one from New Orleans.

WHAT: Features New Orleans food and libations, casino-style gaming, live music, silent auction, open bar, bingo, king cake raffle and more. Proceeds to benefit Catholic Charities of Louisville programs.

WHERE: Mellwood Art Center, 1860 Mellwood Ave.

WHEN: Feb. 13, 5:30-9 p.m.

COST: $85 per person; $50 raffle

MORE INFORMATION: If the baby is in your King Cake, win $1,000 and be crowned King or Queen of Mardi Gras for the evening. cclou.org/rouler24.

Fat Tuesday at Lou Lou

WHAT: Celebrate Mardi Gras in the NuLu Neighborhood with food, spirits, beer, and live music. Lou Lou on Market will be serving an authentic Cajun menu all day including crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice, jambalaya, seafood gumbo, shrimp po boy, shrimp and grits, king cake, muffuletta, crawfish bayou dip and shrimp and crawfish boils. Music by Street Talk and Paradise Gonzolitos (Market Street) and Brian Vinson Duo (Sears Avenue).

WHERE: 812 E. Market St. and 108 Sears Ave.

WHEN: Feb. 13, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Music starts at 5 p.m.

MORE INFORMATION: For reservations call, 502-515-9699 or book online at opentable.com or loulouonmarket.com.

Valentines Mardi Gras Love Affair

WHAT: Celebrate Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras. The chef will prepare a feast inspired by the rich culinary traditions of New Orleans, music by Atone and DJ Al, colorful decorations and drinks.

WHERE: Happy Endings, 723 South 4th St.

WHEN: Feb. 14, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

COST: Tickets start at $10

MORE INFORMATION: eventbrite.com.

Reach features news clerk Gege Reed at greed@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Where to celebrate Mardi Gras in Louisville: Lou Lou on Market