Whether you call it Fat Tuesday, Carnival(e) or Mardi Gras, you can get in on the festivities in Virginia. Get your pre-Lent fill at a great Cajun restaurant, nosh on tasty king cake, and even twirl a parasol in a Second Line Parade in Virginia.
Starr Hill Mardi Gras Celebration
— 2015 MARDI GRAS EVENTS —
February 13 – Floyd – Floyd Mardi Gras Costume Ball at Pine Tavern – Four bands, prizes, silent auction, craft beer from Parkway Brewing, and a special Mardi Gras menu from the Pine Tavern Restaurant. A Kiddy Gras Pajama Party will be going on simultaneously at Blue Mountain School. Drive home safe with a Designated Driver ticket, or forget the drive with a Stay & Dine Package from Pine Tavern Lodge.
February 13-17 – Alexandria – Mardi Gras Masks for Multiple Sclerosis at The Fish Market - Freshly steamed crawfish, seafood gumbo, shrimp étouffée, Cruzan Rum Hurricanes and more! While you’re there, contribute to Multiple Sclerosis by purchasing and signing a mardi gras mask. The Mardi Gras celebration comes to an epic conclusion on the 17th with a Fat Tuesday Party featuring drink specials and live music by Lenny Burridge.
February 14 & 17 – Richmond – Mardi Gras RVA – Two parades, one motorized and one on-foot, are happening in Richmond! Come catch some beads or join the fun in the walking parade on Fat Tuesday. After the parades there will be performances at Dogtown Dance Theatre.
February 15 – Lexington – Mardi Gras Week at The Georges – Don’t miss Lexington’s first ever Second Line Parade February 15! Dress up, bring a parasol and laissez les bon temps rouler! The Georges and Haywood’s are celebrating all week with menu and drink specials.
February 17 – Alexandria – Fat Tuesday Fete at Jackson 20 – Live Zydeco, good gumbo, crawfish boil, drink specials and prizes!
February 17 – Nellysford – Mardi Gras at Wild Wolf Brewing – Celebrate Fat Tuesday with creole inspired specials and festivities, including a special glass, and a prize to the best costume of the night!
February 17 – Nellysford – Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Celebration at Oceanwide Seafood Bar and Grill - Live music, special menu additions including Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo, Crawfish or Shrimp Boil, Muffaletta, Seafood Etouffee, Beignets and Pralines. Drink specials throughout the night!
February 17 – Richmond – Fat Tuesday Soiree at Southern Season – $29 prix fixe menu will include Black Tea Smoked Duck Jambalaya, Carolina Gold Rice, Andouille Sausage, Head on Prawns and more. Small plates will also be available ($9 to $14). Book Now
February 17 – Richmond – Slow Cooker Mardi Gras Feast at Southern Season – Learn from Chef Kendra Bailey Morris as she teaches this festive class using recipes from her recent book, The Southern Slow Cooker.
February 17 – Roseland – Fat Tuesday Celebration at Devils Backbone - What better way to celebrate Mardi Gras than jambalaya and king cake! Don’t forget to wear your beads!
February 17 – Virginia Beach – Fat Tuesday Masquerade Party at Twist – Themed heavy hors d’oeuvres, drink specials, masks and beads included with ticket.
February 20 – Free Union – Mardi Gras at Glass House Winery - Music by Beleza, performing live from 7-10pm.
February 21 – Crozet – Starr Hill Mardi Gras Celebration – Brews, beads, buds, and Big Easy Metro Food Truck, too, serving up some of the best Creole and Cajun dishes north of New Orleans.
February 21 – Lexington – Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball at Robert E. Lee Hotel – Wear your mask, enjoy the live music and hors d’oeuvres, and maybe win a prize! Rooms are available for those who wish to make a night of it.
February 28 – Culpeper – Downtown Culpeper Carnivale – Fun for the entire family including live music, street performers, performing artists, New Orleans inspired food, face-painting, and mask decorating. Enjoy the traditions of Mardi Gras with beads and masks for all.
Bayou Bakery King Cake
— BEIGNETS AND KING CAKE —
Rest assured that you’re going to get the best quality king cake and beignets available when you visit Bayou Bakery in Arlington. Chef David Gaus is New Orleans-born and is a go-to chef for NBC’s The Today Show. The Bayou Bakery website boasts of his “BB” King Cake, it “has received some ‘sugah’ in Garden & Gun, Southern Living, and The Washington Post, which named Bayou Bakery’s confection one of the top five King Cakes in the country.” See the full menu of lunch, brunch, dinner and fine, fine pastries.
** Don’t miss the Bayou Gras Block Party Tuesday, February 17! It coincides with Clarendon’s annual Mardi Gras Parade.
You can see the French Quarter inspiration at Magnolia Kitchen in Norton.
— CAJUN AND CREOLE DINING EXPERIENCES —
Manassas – Okra’s uses local ingredients to bring the spice of Louisiana to Virginia. The atmosphere matches the feel with live Blues, Jazz and Zydeco performances. Let your mouth water as mine did when you read their menu.
Richmond – Lady N’awlins Cajun Cafe is “just 1,004 miles north of the French Quarter”, they like to say, yet you can find the same great eats in Richmond as you can in N’awlins. Collards, gumbo, hush puppies, oysters, crawfish, shrimp, beignets, crepes … the list goes on.
** Don’t miss the Lady N’awlins Mardi Gras Block Party on February 17! The party will roar from noon to 2 a.m.
Blacksburg – Boudreaux’s invites you to come and be among friends in a casual environment with a great menu.
Alexandria – RT’s has been serving Cajun and Creole for 25+ years, including spicy she-crab soup, creole alligator stew and crawfish etouffée.
Charlottesville – Fig Bistro & Bar offers a fine gourmet approach to their New Orleans influenced cuisine, but you’ll still find the good stuff like crawfish, Cajun shrimp and mash pirogue, salmon, and more.
Leesburg – The Cajun Experience has a full-fledged Louisiana menu waiting for you, and live music to boot! Menu favorites include Café Du Monde beignets, red beans and andouille, and gumbos and poboys a’plenty.
Norton – Magnolia Kitchen is a gem of Creole delight in Virginia’s Heart of Appalachia. The bread is freshly baked at Gambino’s in New Orleans and flown in to go perfectly with those poboys. Wrap up a hearty meal with bananas foster.
Alexandria – 219 Restaurant is an upscale French-Creole restaurant in Old Town complete with a cigar lounge boasting entertainment and an impressive cigar list. The menu includes shrimp risotto, jambalaya, chicken and waffles, collard greens and fried green tomatoes.
Roanoke – The Quarter can be found in Roanoke’s downtown market area in a renovated historic building. Classics like shrimp and grits, red beans and rice, gumbo and bread pudding are on the menu.
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© Casey for Virginia's Travel Blog, 2015. |
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