To absolutely no one’s surprise, 2024 seemed to have flown by in the blink of an eye, and now that we’re in the holiday months, we’re all eager to look forward to 2025 in anticipation of all the incredible things that the theme parks will offer in the new year. But even with all of the exciting new debuts to look forward to, the old tried-and-trues are still as exciting as ever. Universal Orlando Resort has a few annual events that shine above all the rest, and are still worth getting excited about even amidst all the new openings. Mardi Gras, which started at the park in 1996, has been a mainstay in the late winter and early spring months for as long as many of us can remember, and it shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.
Recently, Universal announced this upcoming year’s event dates, with Mardi Gras running from February 1st to March 30th, 2025. This gives guests two full months of flavor and fun, as one of Universal’s best food festivals kicks off a early next year.
For those unfamiliar with Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida, the event is a family-friendly celebration of New Orleans food and culture, complete with food booths across the park allowing guests to sample cajun flavors, a spectacular night time parade featuring live entertainment, intricate floats, and bead throwers, and – the best part of the event by a mile – a free concert series that runs weekend throughout the duration of the event.
With headliner like Jason Derulo, Bare Naked Ladies, Fallout Boy, Fifth Harmony, and even One Direction having performed at Mardi Gras in the past, these concerts are always a huge draw for the event. Nothing like getting a bag of beignets and rocking up to the Music Stage Plaza to grab a spot for the concert! Unlike other concerts venues, the Music Stage Plaza does tend to be standing room only, but the music from the Mardi Gras concerts can be heard throughout the park, and large screens mounted abreast the stage make for easy viewing even if you aren’t able to secure a spot on the green.
And the best part? The absolute best part of the entire Mardi Gras experience at Universal Studios Florida? The entire event (with the exception of any foods you might be interested in sampling, which you pay for) is included with daytime admission. Visit Universal Studios Florida and ride the movies, then stick around after dark for a dazzling parade full of intricate floats and fantastic costumes – and then, directly after, be part of an absolutely wild and high-energy concert from some of music’s coolest artists, all for the price of regular admission. Guests can purchase exclusive VIP Ride-and-Dine packages, which grants them a meal at one of a few select premier full-service restaurants at Universal Studios Florida or CityWalk, as well as the honor of being a bead-thrower on a random float during the night of your VIP event, which you can read more about below:
But this VIP experience isn’t necessary to take full advantage of the incredible offerings of Mardi Gras. Unless you have your heart dead-set on riding a float (which, by the way, is very cool), you get everything Universal’s Mardi Gras event has to offer, even without the VIP experience.
While the lineup for this year’s concerts hasn’t been released yet, it’s sure to be an excellent set full of incredible artists, and Theme Park Shark will be sure to break it all down when the announcements are made! While we wrap up our holiday festivities in 2024, it feels good to know that we already have something to look forward to in February. With so much on the horizon for Universal Orlando Resort, be sure to check back for more information on their Mardi Gras event, including information about featured artists, food, and parade details as we near the opening day!
