Mardi Gras 2023: Mobile visitor’s guide (2024)

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Visiting Mobile for Mardi Gras? WKRG News 5 is here to help with everything you need to know about the city’s biggest celebration.

The birthplace of Mardi Gras in America, Mobile goes big every year leading up to Fat Tuesday. Thousands of revelers turn out for parades and balls, and even the well-initiated can use a little help navigating the weeks of festivities.

WKRG News 5 is pulling together everything you need to know about Mardi Gras 2023 in Mobile. From parade and ball schedules to the best places to stay, eat and drink, we have everything you need to laissez les bons temps rouler. We also dip into local Mardi Gras history and traditions that will help you make the most of your Mardi Gras experience.

In addition to this guide, WKRG News 5 is covering all things Mardi Gras in Mobile and across the Gulf Coast. You can find all of our complete Mardi Gras coverage on the WKRG News 5 Mardi Gras page, including information and reports from Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Mississippi, Baldwin County and Pensacola.

Jump to:

• Parade Schedule
• Parade Routes
• How to watch parades LIVE
• Ball Schedule
• Where to stay
• Where to eat
• Downtown bar guide
• Mardi Gras FAQs

Parade Schedule: Mobile Mardi Gras 2023

Friday, February 3

• 6:30 p.m. – Conde Cavaliers – Route A

Saturday, February 4

• 2 p.m. – Bayport Parading Society / Mystic DJ Riders – Route A
• 6:30 p.m. – Pharaohs’ Mystic Society – Route A
• 7 p.m. – Conde Explorers – Route A

Thursday, February 9

• 6:30 p.m. – Order of Polka Dots – Route A

Friday, February 10

• 6:30 p.m. – Order of Inca – Route A

Saturday, February 11

• 2 p.m. – Mobile Mystics – Route A
• 2:30 p.m. – Mobile Mystical Revelers – Route A
• 3 p.m. – Mobile Mystical Friends – Route A
• 6:30 p.m. – Maids of Mirth Parade – Route G
• 7 p.m. – Order of Butterfly Maidens – Route A
• 7:30 p.m. – Krewe of Marry Mates – Route A
• 8 p.m. – Order of Hebe – Route A

Sunday, February 12

• 6:30 p.m. – Neptune’s Daughters – Route A
• 7 p.m. – Order of Isis – Route A

Monday, February 13

• 6:30 p.m. – Order of Venus – Route A
• 7 p.m. – Miracle On the Bay – Route A
• 7:30 p.m. – Order of Many Faces – Route A

Tuesday, February 14

• 6:30 p.m. – Order of LaShe’s – Route A
• 7 p.m. – Order of Olympia – Route A

Thursday, February 16

• 6:30 p.m. – Mystic Stripers Society – Route A

Friday, February 17

• 6:30 p.m. – Crewe of Columbus – Route A
• 7 p.m. – Krewe de Secondline – Route A

Saturday, February 18

• Noon – Floral Parade – Route A
• 12:30 p.m. – Knights of Mobile – Route A
• 1 p.m. – Mobile Mystical Ladies – Route A
• 1:30 p.m. – Order of Angels – Route A
• 2 p.m. – Joy of Life – Route A
• 6 p.m. – Mystics of Time – Route H

Sunday, February 19 – Joe Cain Day

• 2 p.m. – King Elexis I Motorcade – Route E
• 2:30 p.m. – Joe Cain Procession – Route A
• 5 p.m. – Le Krewe de Bienville – Route A

Monday, February 20 – Lundi Gras

• Noon – King Felix III Parade – Route A
• 12:30 p.m. – Floral Parade – Route A
• 3 p.m. – MLK business & Civic Organization Parade – Route D
• 3:30 p.m. – MLK Monday Mystics – Route D
• 4 p.m. – Northside Merchants – Route D
• 7 p.m. – Infant Mystics – Route F
• 7:30 p.m. – Order of Doves – Route F

Tuesday, February 21 – Fat Tuesday

• 10:30 a.m. – Order of Athena – Route A
• 12:30 p.m. – Knights of Revelry – Route A
• 1 p.m. – King Felix III Parade – Route A
• 1:30 p.m. – Comic Cowboys – Route A
• 2 p.m. – MAMGA Mammoth – Route B
• 6 p.m. – Order of Myths – Route C

This is the current parade schedule from the City of Mobile for Mardi Gras 2023. We will update this schedule should dates, times or parade routes change.

Mobile Mardi Gras parade routes

How to watch Mobile Mardi Gras parades LIVE

WKRG News 5 is your home for Mardi Gras on the Gulf Coast. From the first parade in downtown Mobile on Feb. 2 through the final parades on Fat Tuesday, WKRG News 5 will live stream the action and excitement on our website, our mobile app and on our Facebook page.

Watch LIVE on WKRG.com: The best destination for Mobile Mardi Gras 2023 live is the WKRG News 5 Mardi Gras page. You can find all of our live coverage there, plus everything you need to know about Mardi Gras in Mobile and all across the Gulf Coast. You can also find all of our livestreams on the WKRG News 5 Watch Now page.

Watch LIVE on the WKRG News 5 App: Our WKRG News 5 app is a great way to stay connection to news and weather on the Gulf Coast, including all things Mardi Gras. Download the app today and turn on push alerts to get notifications when we go live with Mardi Gras coverage.

Watch LIVE on the WKRG News 5 Facebook page: When we’re live online, we’re live on Facebook. Head over to the WKRG News 5 Facebook page and tap to follow. That way Facebook will notify you when we go live with Mardi Gras coverage.

Mardi Gras Ball schedule: Mobile 2023

TheMobile Maskhas created alist of the Mardi Gras ball’sdates and locations.

Where to stay: Hotels for Mardi Gras 2023 in Mobile

It’s not just tourists who book hotel stays during Mardi Gras in Mobile. Locals are known to take rooms at hotels convenient to Dauphin Street and downtown festivities during the Mardi Gras season. These ten hotels are Tripadvisor‘s top picks for accommodations near downtown Mobile.

• The Admiral: The Admiral, situated in the heart of downtown Mobile, offers 156 guest rooms and suites with downtown views.
• Hampton Inn & Suites Mobile-Downtown Historic District: The downtown Mobile Hampton Inn is located a few blocks from the business district, next to I-10 and the Mobile Convention Center.
• The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa: This downtown Mobile hotel offers three on-site restaurants and a rooftop pool.
• Drury Inn Mobile: The first on our list outside of downtown Mobile, the Drury Inn Mobile is off the Airport Boulevard exit of I-65, just a few miles from downtown’s Mardi Gras parades and balls.
• Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel: A skybridge connects this downtown hotel with the Mobile Convention Center. A stay here puts you in the middle of Mardi Gras action.
• Fort Conde Inn: This historic hotel is a collection of homes all located inside the private Fort Conde Village in downtown Mobile.
• Hampton Inn & Suites Mobile I-65: Staying off the Airport Boulevard exit of I-65 is a great option for commuters and keeps you just a few miles from the heart of Mobile’s Mardi Gras celebrations.
• Hilton Garden Inn Mobile West I-65: Another option for staying just out of downtown Mobile, with easy access to I-65 and downtown celebrations.
• Hilton Garden Inn Mobile Downtown: Staying next to Bienville Square puts you in the center of Mardi Gras and an easy walk to downtown’s lively culture.
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Mobile I-65: Another option for staying just out of downtown Mobile, with easy access to I-65 and downtown celebrations.

Where to eat in downtown Mobile

King Cake and Moon Pies aren’t the only Mardi Gras munchies revelers can enjoy in Mobile. Downtown Mobile boasts a vibrant food scene. Here are some of the top restaurants within walking distance of downtown hotels, according to Yelp.

• The Noble South: Offering new southern dishes for breakfast and brunch.
• Squid Ink Eclectic Eats & Drinks: 2021 and 2022 Nappie Award Winner. Gastropub for lunch, dinner and drinks.
• Roosters: Downtown spot for tacos, Latin American food. Open lunch and dinner.
• Debris Po Boys & Drinks: Sandwiches and drinks, lunch and dinner.
• Dauphin’s: Seafood and steaks on the 34th floor of the Trustmark Building.
• Dumbwaiter Restaurant: Southern and seafood for dinner.
• The Haberdasher: Gastro pub for dinner and late night (1 a.m.).
• Mama’s on Dauphin: Southern comfort food for lunch.
• SOCU: Southern kitchen and oyster bar
• Blind Mule: Weekend brunch, lunch, and dinner with traditional American and local dishes. Late night hours vary.

Downtown bar guide

Downtown Mobile offers Mardi Gras revelers plenty of options for drinks, before and after Mardi Gras parades and balls. These are some of the top locations for libations, according to Yelp.

• Alchemy Tavern: Full service bar, craft beer selection, pool.
• Hayley’s: Thirty years on Dauphin Street; smoking permitted.
• The Haberdasher: co*cktails and beer, gastropub.
• The Stables Bar: Live music on Friday and Saturday nights, outdoor deck.
• Grace: Rooftop bar, restaurant downstairs.
• The Merry Window: Bar with regular music, touring artists.
• Las Floriditas: Cuban-style speakeasy, live music on weekends.
• Royal Street Tavern: Piano bar at The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa.
• SkyView Lounge: 17th floor of the Holiday Day Inn in downtown Mobile.

Mardi Gras 2023 FAQs

When is Mardi Gras 2023? Mardi Gras 2023, or Fat Tuesday, is on Tuesday, February 21.

What does laissez les bons temps rouler mean? Parisians are not likely to understand this Cajun French phrase, but when you visit the Gulf Coast during Mardi Gras season, you’ll hear the locals use this literal translation of the English phrase “let the good times roll.” Learn more Mardi Gras lingo here.

Who can go to a Mardi Gras ball in Mobile? Mobile Mardi Gras ball attendance is invitation only. Members of Mardi Gras Crews who organize the balls can invite non-members to the lavish celebrations.

When did Mobile first celebrate Mardi Gras? Mobile is proud of its Mardi Gras heritage and claims the first official Carnival celebration in the United States. It was started in 1703 by Frenchman Nicholas Langlois when Mobile was the capital of French Louisiana.

What is a mystic society? Mystic societies are secret societies that organize parades and balls during Mardi Gras season. They date back to 1704. The oldest existing parading society is the Order of Myths. Mystic societies each have their own traditions, rich with symbolism and ritual.

What is King Cake? A King Cake is a traditional Mardi Gras pastry with roots in Christian tradition. Traditionally, you start enjoying King Cake on Jan. 6, epiphany. The pastry is a cakey-bread dough formed into a ring and decorated with Mardi Gras colors, gold, purple and green. Bakers do get creative. A bakery in Daphne, for example, offers a crawfish King Cake.

What are MoonPies? MoonPies come in many different flavors including chocolate, banana, mint, and peanut butter. A MoonPie is made up of marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate. The MoonPie got its name in 1917 when a coal miner asked a traveling salesman from the company for a snack “as big as the moon.” The MoonPie website reads, “It was filling, fit in the lunch pail and the coal miners loved it. The rest, as they say, is history.”