As a result of the ongoing pandemic and all the restrictions that come with it, Mardi Gras parades have been canceled all across Louisiana. While parades won’t roll, there are still many ways to celebrate the holiday. 
Whether you are a native Louisianian like me or just trying to enjoy the holiday, you might be wondering how you are going to celebrate Mardi Gras this year with no planned parades or celebrations to look forward to. Thankfully, there are quite a few ways you can safely celebrate at home just as if you were catching beads and watching the floats go by in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday.
1. Buy or bake a king cake
Seriously, where would Mardi Gras be without king cakes? These delicious circular pastry cakes are a staple of the Carnival season, which can be found at a number of grocery stores and bakeries throughout Baton Rouge. By bringing one of these mighty cakes home, you can bring the feeling of the holidays to your friends and family for a delectably good time.
Best King Cakes in BR:
-       Gambino’s Bakery, 5778 Essen Lane
-       The Ambrosia Bakery, 8546 Siegen Lane
-       Thee Heavenly Donut, 17732 Highland Road
Of course, you can test your own culinary skills by baking your own king cake. There are a variety of different recipes that you can find online with a multitude of flavors. So, give baking a king cake the old college try with this simple recipe.
2. Watch a Mardi Gras-themed movie
Granted, there is an unfortunately short supply of the holiday in movies and television, but there are a few cinematic gems that feature Mardi Gras for those of you who prefer a more low-key way of celebrating. If you want to celebrate without all the noise and fuss of the holiday, make sure to put on “The Princess and the Frog” or these other Mardi Gras films. 
Mardi Gras movies:
-       ”The Princess and the Frog (2009)”
-       ”Easy Rider (1969)”
-       ”Déjà Vu (2006)”
-       ”Now You See Me (2013)”
-       ”Thunderball (1965)”
-       ”Hatchet (2006)”
3. Deck the halls with boughs of Mardi Gras
One of the only ways to truly celebrate the Mardi Gras holidays is with decorations. That means it is time to pull out all of your purple-, green- and gold- colored decorations and beads to beautify your home just in time for the Carnival season. Any of those three aforementioned colors will work or even pulling out your colorful Christmas lights, glittery New Year’s decorations or your LSU themed items.
4. Get jazzy with it
New Orleans is famously referred to as the “Jazz capitol of America,” so it would be sacrilegious to not play some classic jazz or zydeco music for your at-home celebrations. By putting on some Earl King, Louis Armstrong and Professor Longhair on shuffle, your household will surely sound like downtown New Orleans at the peak of Mardi Gras festivities. Click here for an extensive Mardi Gras music playlist on Spotify. Check out our Media Monday Mardi Gras themed playlist.