How to celebrate Mardi Gras in style with kids
Enjoy a family-friendly Mardi Gras celebration in Champaign-Urbana
We might not have parade floats or a French Quarter in Champaign-Urbana, but we can still celebrate Mardi Gras in style! In 2025, celebration of Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday” falls on March 4.
WANT A FUN MARDI GRAS MEAL FOR YOUR FAMILY?
JUMBALAYA * GUMBO * MUFFULATTA
Piato’s is offering a special Mardi Gras menu complete with many New Orleans favorites – jumbalaya, gumbo, muffulatta as well as rice and beans. Dessert is New Orleans bread pudding! Each meal is fully cooked and just needs to be reheated. Veggie options available! All orders must be placed by 4 p.m. on Feb. 28. They must be picked up between 2-6 p.m. on March 4; delivery is available for a fee. For more information on the Mardi Gras menu, click here.
Thank you to Piato’s for presenting our Mardi Gras info!
HOW TO CREATE MARDI GRAS FUN FOR YOUR FAMILY
Beads: You need plenty of beads to toss to little ones. (Just keep the tossin’ tame.) The traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold date from the late 1800’s; they were used in New Orleans in parades put on by some of the same social clubs (or krewes) that are still active there today.
Dollar Stores (Champaign/Urbana/Savoy): A great source of cheap decorations for any party or event, including beads.
Party City (Champaign): Beads, masks, feather boas, and more fun trinkets for Mardi Gras can be found at Party City — the store will even sell you tiny plastic babies (see below). A quick glance at all the green on its shelves will reveal that St. Patrick’s Day is more of a local party moneymaker — even if Unofficial has waned in recent years — but fear not, your Mardi Gras needs can still be met here.
King Cake: This Mardi Gras delicacy is a simple cake, but delicious in its simplicity; try a recipe here. The King Cake is made round to represent a crown. (Oh, and it also has a tiny little plastic baby baked inside, so there’s that.) Decorate with green, yellow, and purple icing or sprinkles, stuff a tiny plastic baby inside, and voilà — King Cake.
If you can’t find a tiny plastic baby, you can also use a bean, a pecan half, or a coin. The coin makes us a little nervous; we’re all tiny baby or bust in our King Cake. Just make sure you don’t swallow the baby!
The person who finds the baby, bean, or coin is the “King” of the celebration. We make this paper jester hat before we serve our King Cake, and whoever finds the baby gets to wear the hat. Tradition dictates that the “King” must also host the next party, but good luck with that if your King is also your minor child.
You’ve got several local options for purchasing King Cakes. Our recommendation: call ahead to order or reserve your King Cake at all of these establishments.
- Rick’s Bakery, Urbana
- Central Illinois Bakehouse (sold at Pekara and Martinelli’s Market in Champaign, at the Champaign-Urbana Winter Farmers Markets in Urbana on Saturdays, or online through Market Wagon),
- RegCakes, Urbana, for gluten-free King Cake
You have only to look around C-U’s vibrant restaurant scene if you require more sustenance for your celebration. Industrial Donut in Savoy can turn any holiday into a donut party — see if its extra-sparkly Mardi Gras donuts are available for pre-order (by the dozen) this year.
Champaign’s Pandamonium Doughnuts may be offering lemony-flavored Mardi Gras doughnuts; we will update here if we get details. Esquire Lounge in Champaign usually puts on a rockin’ Mardi Gras celebration with all-day New Orleans food and drink specials.
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Celebrate: You’ve stocked up on beads. You’ve located a tiny plastic baby and baked/bought/put copious multicolored sprinkles on a King Cake. Now grab some pots for drums, add a whistle if you can find it, and make your own impromptu parade around the house. No one to catch all the beads you want to throw? Line up an audience of plush toys to take in your revelry. Bonus: No tears when the beads accidentally whack Old Nutty the Panda in the face!
Carnaval! at Krannert Center – tickets required
Patrons are invited to bring Mardi Gras masks and dress up to dance and play casino games while enjoying the José Gobbo Quintet and Bloco Gavilão in the Lobby beginning at 6 p.m. on March 4. There will be a family crafts section with face painting and an opportunity for children to make their own shakers and play with the band. At 7:30, all will head to the Great Hall for an unforgettable concert. Dancing will follow in the lobby. Get tickets here.
Mardi Gras Events in Champaign-Urbana
| Date/Time | Event |
|---|---|
03/02/2025
5:00 pm |
Mardi Gras Party at the Rose Bowl
at Rose Bowl Tavern, Urbana IL |
FEATURED EVENT
03/04/2025
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm |
Carnaval! with Lyric Theatre @ Illinois
 at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana Illinois There will be a family crafts section with face painting and an opportunity for children to make their own shakers and play with the band. At 7:30, all will head to the Great Hall for an unforgettable concert. Dancing will follow in the lobby. Carnaval! is a dazzling, lively event that will be fun for the whole family! |
Are there local and family-friendly Mardi Gras celebrations we’ve missed? Email us and let us know!
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