Are you looking for ways to celebrate Mardi Gras in the Upstate this year? Whether you’re looking for places to pick up some festive Mardi Gras food and king cakes in Greenville, or you’re seeking a local Mardi Gras event near Greenville, we have all the information you need! So, use this list and pull off a fun Mardi Gras celebration with your family. The food, the sweets, all of it!
Be sure to check out Kidding Around’s calendar for more fun things to do in Greenville, SC & the Upstate!
This article includes:
What is Mardi Gras? See Mardi Gras New Orleans Celebrations
Mardi Gras Events Near Greenville, SC
Enjoy Cajun Food Near Greenville, SC
Where to Buy King Cakes Near Greenville, SC
Celebrating Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras season is traditionally celebrated as the last hurrah before the Lenten season begins on Ash Wednesday. It’s a time filled with parades, delicious food, drinks, culture, and celebrating. The events, of course, are famous in New Orleans, Louisiana.
If you can’t make it to New Orleans, there are a few ways to celebrate here in the Upstate:
- The Swamp Rabbit Cafe’s Mardi Gras Celebration: The cafe will feature a Mardi Gras menu from 3 – 7 pm on February 10th, 2024. You can enjoy jazz music from the Greenville Jazz Collective from 5 – 7 pm.
- Fireforge Mardi Gras: Foreforge in downtown Greenville is hosting a Mardi Gras celebration on Saturday, February 10th, 2024 from 12 pm – 7 pm. They’ll offer a special menu, have a six-piece jazz band playing, and have fresh baked Mardi Gras treats for you to enjoy!
You can experience Mardi Gras from New Orleans virtually! From behind-the-scenes trips to a zoo, to watching the northern lights, Mardi Gras was just one more thing you could add. Mardi Gras for Y’all is a great way to enjoy an immersive experience from the comfort of home!
If you’re planning on heading to New Orleans, be sure to check out the official Mardi Gras page for parade schedules and routes, concerts, and attractions. And of course, if you are heading to New Orleans, nothing can take the place of a mile-high pile of beignets from Morning Call Coffee Shop, or the magical bead trees in the French Quarter. On one of our trips to New Orleans, I had my children convinced that these trees, native only to NOLA, bore beaded necklaces.
Celebrate Mardi Gras in Upstate, SC
Mardi Gras is about celebrating everything that makes you happy and brings you joy! Check out these Mardi Gras celebrations nearby, plus where to get Cajun food, king cakes and more!
Mardi Gras Celebrations Near Greenville, SC
You can head North to Asheville for the Asheville Mardi Gras Parade. In 2024 the Asheville Mardi Gras Parade returns to the South Slope district of downtown on February 11th, 2024!
You can also check out the Mardi Gras parade and festival in Columbia, SC on February 10th, 2023.
Enjoy Cajun Food Near Greenville. SC
There are several places in the Upstate where you can enjoy a table full of spicy Cajun fare. Cajun food is seafood-heavy since the Gulf and all of its treasures are so accessible to the people of NOLA.
Lost Cajun
3612 Pelham Road, Greenville | 864.605.7117
116 North Main Street, Greenville |864.203.2827
The Lost Cajun restaurant in downtown Greenville offer delicious Cajun food. Expect to find the same Mardi Gras flavors at this location.
Southside Smokehouse & Grille
726 South Howard Ave, Landrum | 864.457.4581
Be sure to try their gumbo to get your fill of Cajun flavors! They’re hosting a Mardi Gras buffet on Tuesday, February 13th, 2024!
Where to Buy King Cakes in Greenville, SC
Lost Cajun
3612 Pelham Road, Greenville | 864.605.7117
116 North Main Street, Greenville |864.203.2827
2024 info has yet to be released at publication. The Lost Cajun restaurant in Greenville sells traditional Gambino’s king cakes (straight from Louisiana) until they sell out. You can purchase a slice or a whole cake.
Great Harvest Bread
1467 Woodruff Road, Greenville | 864.286.6944
The King Cake at Great Harvest is absolutely delicious. Be sure to order ahead since they always sell out.
Sidewall Pastry Kitchen
164D South Main Street, Travelers Rest
Not only can you grab a traditional King Cake here, but they also have a way for people with Gluten sensitivity to enjoy the fun! Orders close February 7th, 2024.
Strossner’s Bakery and Cafe
21 Roper Mountain Road, Greenville | 864.523.2951
Strossner’s Bakery is selling whole king cakes in a variety of flavors. Just make sure you order yours in advance so you can choose your flavor.
Swamp Rabbit Cafe
205 Cedar Lane Rd, Greenville | 864.255.3385
You can pre-order a king cake from the Cafe for pick-or delivery. Pickup is between February 9th – 14th, 2024. You can also walk-in and purchase one (those are first-come first-serve).
Don’t Forget the Beads & Other Essential Mardi Gras Stuff!
There are a few more things that no proper Mardi Gras celebration should be without!
- Beignets
These fried pillows of dough, covered in powdered sugar, are the trademark dessert of NOLA. One of the first things people usually ask when they hear you’ve been to the French Quarter is, “did you get beignets?” While Cafe Dumonde and Morning Call are too far away to enjoy right now, lucky for us The Lost Cajun and Sassafras Southern Bistro make delicious beignets! You can also grab a cup of Chicory Coffee during your visit to The Lost Cajun. - Beads
In all different colors, the beaded necklace is one of the most popular things from a NOLA celebration. The way people fight for them, you’d never know they were only worth a nickel! You can find some for your family at the local dollar stores. - Music
The jazz of New Orleans is like the blood life of this city! What is a party without music? Boring, right? During Mardi Gras, you can stream NOLA radio station WWOZ to listen to what they will be listening to in the heart of Mardi Gras.
Want more Mardi-Gras? Check out the Mardi-Gras Events in Columbia, SC
Drink beer boil crawfish and go to parades, not in that order.