Celebrate Mardi Gras in the Upstate: King Cakes, Cajun Food & More

Are you looking for ways to celebrate Mardi Gras in the Upstate this year? Whether you’re looking for places to pick up some king cakes and festive Mardi Gras food, 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!

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 Weekend: The cafe will feature a Mardi Gras menu from 3 – 7 pm on February 18th, 2023. You can enjoy jazz music from the Greenville Jazz Collective on Saturday, too. There will also be kids’ crafts with the Children’s Museum of the Upstate and Greenville Explorers. 
• White Wine & Butter Mardi Gras Mambo: The restaurant will offer an all-you-can-eat chef’s table with all your Louisiana favorites, including shrimp and grits, Beignets, Jambalaya, red beans and rice, and more. The Reedy River Jazz Band will be providing live music! You can pre-purchase tickets. The event is on February 19th from 11 am to 2 pm. 

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

The resilient people of New Orleans have found a way to show off their creativity to the world by decorating their homes as the parade floats would have been. This allows revelers to drive around town and enjoy the decorations safely.

You can head North to Asheville for the Asheville Mardi Gras Parade. In 2023 the Asheville Mardi Gras Parade returns to the South Slope district of downtown on February 19th, 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!

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
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.

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!

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. Preorders must be places by February 13th, with pickup February 17th – 21st, 2023. 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.

How does your family celebrate Mardi Gras right here in the Upstate? Tell us in the comments!

This article was originally written by Melanie Coblentz and has been updated by the Kidding Around Team.