Beads Or It Didn’t Happen

WEB EXCLUSIVE Laissez les bons temps rouler!

If you like big beads and you cannot lie… you’re gonna wanna post up at these Mardi Gras (aka Fat Tuesday) celebrations in Raleigh. Eat, drink and dance the night away, but don’t you worry—what happens on the float, stays on the float. 

A Place at the Table

Let them eat cake! A Place at the Table will have mini King Cakes on deck through Mardi Gras that are sure to sweeten up your Fat Tuesday.

The Big Easy

Our very own Nawlins nugget in Raleigh, The Big Easy is obv here for Mardi Gras. Head to DTR and down Hurricanes and King Cakes as MikeMickXer and special guest Kenny Shore perform New Orleans-inspired music. Up the authentic factor with some bites from Big Easy’s Cajun-inspired menu (think alligator bites, shrimp and gouda grits, and Bourbon Street chicken) that promise to put you in the Fat Tuesday spirit. 

Cleveland Draft House

It’s time to get jazzy. Venture to Fuquay for Cleveland Draft House’s Mardi Gras Masquerade Celebration. Adding an extra feel-good element is the silent auction and raffle to raise money for FACES—plus hors d’oeuvres, dessert, a soft drinks cash bar, music and more. So you can keep calm and mardi on!

Clouds Brewing

There’s nothing a King Cake can’t fix, so start your week with a sample of some sweet doughy goodness at Clouds. This celebration, hosted by the Tulane University Alumni Association, will have plenty of jazzy tunes, snacks and beer to make your Mardi Gras just brew-tiful. 

Fortnight Brewing Company

Keep the party going after Fat Tuesday by heading to Cary’s Fortnight Brewing on March 6 for beads, music, dancing and drinks. It’s kind of a bead deal.

St. Roch

Hola, NOLA. A Mardi Gras celebration at one of Raleigh’s most esteemed Nawlins-inspired restaurants is a no-brainer. Swing by for faves like oysters, crawfish hushpuppies, jambalaya, fried seafood and more—and on Fat Tuesday, they’ll also be offering King Cake and Hurricanes. Beignet, done that.

Stanbury

Stanbury doesn’t mess around when it comes to Mardi Gras. The popular resto’s annual party touts music, a crawfish boil and jambalaya—plus a Creole-inspired special menu just for Fat Tuesday. 

Tepuy Donuts

It wouldn’t be Fat Tuesday without paczki. Pronounced (POONCH-key), these hole-less and sweet-jelly-filled fried doughnuts are a Polish dessert traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday (hence the holiday’s name). And Tepuy Donuts will have a variety on hand—from jelly-filled to Nutella-filled—at Idle Hour Coffee to make sure your Mardi Gras is ever so sweet.