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Mardi Gras 2027 falls on Tuesday, February 9, at the end of a Carnival season that opens on January 6. The big parades (Zulu, Rex, Bacchus, Endymion, Orpheus) are free and roll Uptown and in Mid-City, not in the French Quarter. No balcony can be booked on Viator: they are sold directly. Viator is for filling the hours between parades, with 10 verified experiences from February 5 to 9, 5 of which are not bookable on Mardi Gras day itself. I start with the French Quarter food tour.
Did you land here looking for a VIP balcony on Bourbon Street for Mardi Gras 2027? Let me say it right away: no balcony can be booked on Viator. They are sold directly, by bars, hotels and a handful of organizers, and I am not promising any in this article. Second point, and a more surprising one: the big parades do not pass through the French Quarter. The floats roll Uptown, along St. Charles Avenue, and in Mid-City for Endymion. Bourbon Street is a pedestrian corridor of bars, not a parade route.
What Viator does well, though, is fill the hours when you are not watching a float go by. Between parades there are still mornings, afternoons and evenings to fill: a French Quarter food tour backed by 6,691 reviews, a cemetery to visit, a bayou, a jazz cruise. I rechecked prices and verified availability for 10 experiences from February 5 to 9, 2027, the peak weekend of Carnival. Worth knowing before you book: 5 of them are not bookable on Mardi Gras day itself.
Before the selection, a practical guide: the parade calendar, where to stand, what is booked directly, logistics and budget. The times come from an aggregator, because the official schedule still showed « coming soon » on September 21, 2026: recheck before you plan around them.
Why Mardi Gras 2027 in New Orleans: the Pixidia angle
New Orleans Mardi Gras is a season, not a day. Carnival opens on Wednesday, January 6, 2027, Twelfth Night, and peaks on Tuesday, February 9 (Fat Tuesday), with Lundi Gras the day before. It is a season of 34 to 35 days, one of the shortest in recent years. The first celebrations date back to 1699 according to Wikipedia; Rex set the official Carnival colors in 1872 (purple for justice, green for faith, gold for power), and the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club dates from 1909. Parades are free and ticketless.
A small, local start to the season
January is the right window if you want to avoid the crush: the tourism office says early-season parades are less crowded than the ones at the end. On January 6, the Phunny Phorty Phellows ride the St. Charles streetcar and Joan of Arc marches in the French Quarter. The Krewe du Vieux, a walking parade with hand-pulled floats, political satire and an adult tone, is announced for Saturday, January 23 at 6:30 pm in the Marigny and then the French Quarter according to an aggregator. Chewbacchus, the cosplay and pop-culture march in the Marigny, takes place in mid-January. The other January dates are not confirmed: I do not cite them to the day.
The final week, parade by parade
The night parades are concentrated from February 3 to 9. Here are the main events of the peak weekend, with indicative start times taken from an aggregator, not from the official schedule:
| Day | Parade | Indicative start | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri. February 5 | Bosom Buddies | 11:30 am | French Quarter |
| Fri. February 5 | Hermes, d’Etat, Morpheus | 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:00 pm | Uptown |
| Sat. February 6 | Iris, Tucks | 11:00 am, 12:00 pm | Uptown |
| Sat. February 6 | Endymion (over 3,000 riders, over 40 floats) | 4:00 pm | Mid-City |
| Sun. February 7 | Okeanos, Mid-City, Thoth | 11:00 am, 11:30 am, 12:00 pm | Uptown |
| Sun. February 7 | Bacchus | 5:15 pm | Uptown |
| Mon. February 8 (Lundi Gras) | Proteus, Orpheus | 5:15 pm, 6:00 pm | Uptown |
| Tue. February 9 (Mardi Gras) | Zulu, then Rex | 8:00 am, 10:00 am | Uptown |
Ahead of this table, the Druids open the week on Wednesday, February 3, then come Muses (known for its decorated shoes), Babylon and Chaos around Thursday, February 4, whose times and exact day remain to be confirmed. On Lundi Gras, the monarchs of Zulu and Rex arrive by boat on the Mississippi, with a party on the levee.
On Fat Tuesday, things happen away from the floats too. The Society of St. Anne walks in costume from the Bywater and the Marigny around 9 am according to Afar. The Mardi Gras Indians step out in walking processions in hand-sewn suits of beads and feathers, a 19th-century tradition: no official time or route, and you run into them in Tremé (Claiborne Avenue) and Uptown. At midnight, the police close Bourbon Street: Lent begins.
Uptown or French Quarter: two atmospheres
| Criterion | Uptown, St. Charles, Mid-City | French Quarter |
|---|---|---|
| Big float parades | Yes: Endymion, Bacchus, Orpheus, Zulu, Rex, Thoth, Tucks | No: motorized floats no longer roll there, for fire and safety reasons |
| Walking parades | A few | Yes: Krewe du Vieux, ‘tit Rex, Bosom Buddies |
| Atmosphere | Family-friendly by day, dense at night | More adult, loud after dark |
| With children | Napoleon Avenue to Jackson Avenue stretch recommended by the tourism office | Not recommended in the evening |
| Getting around | Streetcar possible but disrupted | On foot, car access restricted |
My compromise: sleep in the French Quarter or the Central Business District, within walking distance of Jackson Square and Canal Street where the parades end, spend parade days on St. Charles, and fill the quiet mornings and afternoons with the selection below. The Garden District is calmer and close to the Uptown routes; Marigny and Bywater offer a more local Mardi Gras. Plan a stay of 6 to 7 days. As for hotels, most require a minimum stay of 3 to 5 nights over the peak weekend of February 5 to 9 and block their rooms from August: they are often full by December. Vacation rentals see their prices double or triple. I do not quote 2027 room rates, for lack of a reliable price. If you are torn between several carnivals in 2027, my guide to the Venice Carnival and the one on the Tenerife Carnival can help you compare.
Balconies: what is booked directly, and what cannot be promised
Bourbon Street balconies are sold directly, by bars, hotels and specialized organizers. None is distributed by Viator, and no link in this article leads to one. As an example, one organizer offers a package at the Cornet bar (700 Bourbon Street) with an open bar, a buffet (gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice), guaranteed balcony access and reserved restrooms, on slots in late January and from February 5 to 9. Prices are not shown on the page and tickets are neither cancellable nor refundable.
One thing to keep in mind: a Bourbon balcony overlooks the street crowd and the nightlife, not a float. A balcony ticket in the Quarter is no substitute for seeing Bacchus or Endymion. To follow a float parade from a seat, there are paid grandstands on St. Charles and « parade route » hotel packages. I do not quote any price I could not verify.
The 10 best experiences in New Orleans around the Mardi Gras 2027 parades
All these experiences are rated 4.7 or higher, with at least 100 reviews. Prices are those recorded on September 21, 2026, per adult, based on 2 people, for the dates of February 5 to 9, 2027: they may vary with the date and the number of participants. Availability was only checked on those five days: nothing is verified for January or for February 4.
1. French Quarter walking food tour, with a small-group option
I put this food tour first because it fits the logic of Carnival: three hours on foot in the French Quarter, with tastings at several spots in the neighborhood, to slot in during the morning or at midday before heading to an Uptown parade. It starts at the corner of Royal Street and Toulouse Street. With 6,691 reviews at 4.83, it is the most proven option on the list, and one of the five products open across the whole verified window, including February 9.
- Tastings at several French Quarter spots
- Small-group option of 13 people maximum
- Starts at the corner of Royal Street and Toulouse Street
2. Beignets, donuts and sweet treats tour on Magazine Street
A tour of beignets, donuts and local sweets that steps outside the French Quarter: it starts on Magazine Street, at the edge of the Garden District, so closer to the Uptown parade routes than to Bourbon Street. It is my pick for a sugary morning before heading to St. Charles Avenue. Rated 4.91 across 1,047 reviews. I found no availability on February 9, so aim for the days before.
- Starts on Magazine Street, outside the French Quarter (exact address given at booking)
- Beignets, donuts and local sweet specialties
- Two hours, easy to fit in before a parade
3. French Quarter on foot: historic sights and stories
If you only have time for one French Quarter walk, this is the one I would take: two hours of history, architecture and anecdotes, in a group of 12 people or fewer. It sets the scene for the neighborhood the floats no longer cross, before the crowds fill the streets. At €31.01 per adult, it is a modest price for two hours with a guide. It starts at the jazz fountain, at the corner of Decatur Street and Dumaine Street.
- Group of 12 people maximum
- History, culture and architecture of the oldest neighborhood in the city
- Starts at the jazz fountain, Decatur Street and Dumaine Street
4. City tour in an air-conditioned vehicle
When feet get tired or rain moves in (February averages a high of 18 °C / 64 °F and about 127 mm / 5 in of rain over the month), this two-and-a-half-hour circuit in an air-conditioned vehicle takes you out of the French Quarter to the Garden District, Tremé, Marigny and the Ninth Ward. A stop at an above-ground cemetery and a break at Café Du Monde punctuate the route. On parade days, detours are possible: I would confirm the itinerary with the operator before setting off.
- Air-conditioned vehicle and licensed guide
- Stop at an above-ground cemetery
- Break at Café Du Monde
5. Ghost and vampire walk, starting on Rampart Street
It starts at 718 N Rampart Street, away from Bourbon Street, a choice I like when the main drag is packed. Two hours of ghost and vampire stories in the evening, for €18.61 per adult: it is the lowest price in the selection, with a rating of 4.72 across 2,538 reviews. It stays open across the whole verified window, including the evening of Mardi Gras.
- Starts at 718 N Rampart Street, away from Bourbon Street
- Local guide, local taxes included
- The lowest price in the selection
6. Louisiana cooking class with a meal
This is the priciest option in the food section, and the one that makes a real afternoon: three hours in a workshop, in a group of 10 people at most, cooking a Louisiana meal that you then eat. Wine and beer are included, along with the school apron and the recipes. Rated 4.94 across 1,326 reviews. It starts at 524 St. Louis Street, in the heart of the French Quarter: I would fit it into a quiet afternoon between two parades. It was not bookable on February 9 when I checked.
- Full meal cooked, then enjoyed
- Drinks, apron and recipes included
- Starts at 524 St. Louis Street, French Quarter
7. Boat tour in the Honey Island Swamp bayou
A 22-seat boat on Honey Island Swamp, one of the last protected wetlands in Louisiana, for two hours of wild alligator spotting and a Cajun village reachable only by boat. Two things to know before booking: departure is in Slidell (55345 US-90) and transport from New Orleans is not included, so plan for a taxi, a ride-hailing car or a rental car. I have not checked the distance or the drive time. Open on all five verified days, Mardi Gras included.
- 22-seat boat, live commentary
- Wild alligators and a Cajun village reachable by boat
- Departs from Slidell, transport not included
8. St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 on foot
An hour and a half in St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, on Esplanade Avenue, with an award-winning local historian who wrote a book on the city’s cemeteries. With 4.99 across 479 reviews, it has the best rating in the selection, for €22.15 per adult: the quiet counterpoint to a trip full of brass bands. Meet at the cemetery gates, at 3421 Esplanade Avenue. Not bookable on February 9 when I checked.
- Expert guide, local historian and author
- Insider tips on food, music and culture
- 90-minute tour, Esplanade Avenue
9. Whitney Plantation, with round-trip bus
A five-to-six-hour half day, in an air-conditioned van round trip from New Orleans, devoted to Whitney Plantation, a memorial to slavery in Louisiana. It is the most sober outing in the selection, to book on a day with no parade at the top of your list. Only 126 reviews, but a 4.98 rating. Pickup in front of Jackson Square, or at your hotel depending on the option. Open on all five verified days, Mardi Gras included.
- Round-trip air-conditioned van
- Plantation tour admission included
- Bottled water and USB charging on board
10. VIP jazz dinner cruise on the Natchez
For an evening with no parade: a Louisiana dinner aboard the Steamboat Natchez, with a champagne toast and shrimp cocktail at boarding, a private tour of the boat and live jazz. Expect €186.78 per adult, and up to €202.93 with the open bar option. Arrive before 5:30 pm for early boarding. It is the only one on the list that does not confirm instantly: book at least 48 hours ahead. On parade nights, street closures can get in the way of reaching the dock, so allow extra time. Not bookable on February 9 when I checked.
- Early boarding and reserved seats
- Champagne toast, shrimp cocktail and dinner
- Private tour of the boat, open bar option
Getting ready for your trip to New Orleans
The cell network gets saturated on parade days, but an eSIM installed before you leave saves you from hunting for a store when you land. My eSIM comparison details the options.
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See insurance pricesCompare flights to New Orleans (MSY), shown here from Paris for a stay from February 3 to 11, 2027, then change your departure city and dates. Fares move: check connections and baggage.
See flights to New OrleansPractical tips for Mardi Gras 2027 on the ground
Parade rules: no ladders, grills or coolers within 6 feet (about 1.8 m) of the curb; you may not save space with chairs, tarps or ropes; private portable toilets are banned on public medians; parking is prohibited on Napoleon Avenue and St. Charles Avenue, on both sides, starting 2 hours before parades. In the street, beer is drunk from a can or a cup, never from glass. Do not lean toward the floats and do not cross the barricades.
When to arrive: allow about 4 hours before the big weekend evening parades (Endymion, Bacchus), 1 to 2 hours for medium parades and 15 to 30 minutes for weekday daytime ones. Set a meeting point in advance: the cell network is saturated. Mobile restrooms are set up at Lee Circle, Lafayette Square, at several points on Canal Street, and on Esplanade, St. Charles, Tchoupitoulas and Napoleon, partly paid.
From the airport: Louis Armstrong airport (MSY) is about 20 minutes from the center. Fare comparison sites quote $45 to $55 for a taxi; the RTA 202 bus to Poydras and Loyola costs about $2 for 27 minutes. These fares are indicative, so recheck them. In the French Quarter, a car is not recommended: access is restricted and parking is expensive and fills up fast. Walking and cycling are the most reliable ways to get around; buses and streetcars run, but rerouted and packed (norta.com).
Weather and gear: in February, average highs hover around 18 °C (64 °F) and average lows around 11 °C (52 °F), with about 127 mm (5 in) of rain over the month. Cool mornings, mild afternoons, a shower possible at any time. Bring layers, a light poncho, very comfortable shoes (one travel guide mentions 8 to 12 miles of walking a day) and a lightweight folding chair for the long waits.
Budget: parades are free. Based on 2 adults, a ghost walk costs €18.61, the cemetery €22.15, the French Quarter walk €31.01 and the bayou €38.23 per person, excluding transport to Slidell. A program of three activities (ghosts, French Quarter and bayou) across February 5 to 8 comes to €87.85 per person, transport extra. I give no room or balcony rate: I found no reliable source for 2027.
What to taste: king cake, a crown-shaped brioche with a figurine hidden inside; whoever finds it buys the next one. It is eaten from January 6 to Mardi Gras. Dong Phuong, Bywater Bakery, Gracious Bakery and Levee Baking Co are cited among the good addresses.
Entry requirements: to enter the United States, check the up-to-date conditions for your nationality on the official site (esta.cbp.dhs.gov) well before departure. I do not detail any timing or cost.
Frequently asked questions about Mardi Gras 2027 in New Orleans
What day is Mardi Gras 2027?
Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) falls on Tuesday, February 9, 2027, preceded by Lundi Gras on February 8. Carnival starts on Wednesday, January 6, 2027. The end-of-season night parades are concentrated from February 3 to 9. These dates are confirmed by several sources, but the precise parade times are not yet official.
Can you book a Bourbon Street balcony through Viator?
No, no Viator product sells a balcony. They are booked directly with bars, hotels and specialized organizers, often with non-refundable tickets. A balcony on Bourbon Street overlooks the street, not the floats of the big parades. Viator offers something else: tours, cooking classes, a bayou or a jazz cruise, like the French Quarter food tour.
Where can you watch the big Mardi Gras parades?
Uptown, along St. Charles Avenue as far as Canal Street, for Zulu, Rex, Bacchus, Orpheus and Thoth, and in Mid-City for Endymion. Floats no longer roll through the French Quarter, where you mostly find walking parades like the Krewe du Vieux. With children, the tourism office recommends the stretch between Napoleon Avenue and Jackson Avenue.
When should you book a hotel for Mardi Gras 2027?
As early as possible: one guide advises booking about six months ahead, and most hotels in the French Quarter and the Central Business District block their rooms from August and are often full by December. Expect a minimum stay of 3 to 5 nights over the weekend of February 5 to 9. I do not give a 2027 rate, for lack of a reliable source.
Are the experiences in this selection open on Mardi Gras day?
Only five out of ten: the food tour, the vehicle tour, the ghost walk, the bayou and Whitney Plantation were bookable on February 9 when I checked. The other five were bookable from February 5 to 8. The check only covers those five days, based on 2 adults: nothing is verified for January.
Sources
- New Orleans & Company: future Mardi Gras dates, Fat Tuesday 2027 on February 9: accessed on 2026-09-21
- New Orleans & Company: 2027 parade schedule (dates only, routes to come): accessed on 2026-09-21
- New Orleans & Company: the official Mardi Gras guide: accessed on 2026-09-21
- New Orleans & Company: local tips, early season and transport: accessed on 2026-09-21
- Mardi Gras New Orleans: Mardi Gras 2027 date: accessed on 2026-09-21
- Mardi Gras New Orleans: parade rules, glass ban, arriving early, restrooms: accessed on 2026-09-21
- Discover Mardi Gras: Carnival from January 6 to February 9, 2027: accessed on 2026-09-21
- Mardi Gras Insider Tours: indicative parade schedule February 5 to 9, 2027 (aggregator, unofficial): accessed on 2026-09-21
- Finding the Universe: practical guide, hotels, French Quarter or St. Charles: accessed on 2026-09-21
- French Quarter: Mardi Gras rules in the French Quarter: accessed on 2026-09-21
- Afar: Society of St. Anne, Mardi Gras Indians, king cake, neighborhoods: accessed on 2026-09-21
- Wikipedia: Mardi Gras in New Orleans, history of the celebration: accessed on 2026-09-21
- Bourbon Street Balcony Rentals: example of a balcony package sold directly: accessed on 2026-09-21
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