Galveston Gears Up For 106th Annual Mardi Gras Celebration

GALVESTON, TX -- New Orleans might be the king of Mardi Gras celebrations, but Galveston Island revelers can hold their own.

The 106th Annual Galveston Mardi Gras celebration gets underway at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 17 with an awards ceremony, followed by the first parade of the festival at 7 p.m.

The celebration ends with the Krewe of Aquarius Fat Tuesday Parade at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28.
Mardi Gras, which is French for Fat Tuesday, is held before the Lenten Season which ushers in the season of self-denial and fasting before Easter.
More than 300,000 Mardi Gras revelers and sightseers are expected to converge on Galveston where they will be treated to more than 30 concerts, 22 parades, 25 balcony parties and five masked balls.
Tickets for the balcony parties can vary, and may sell out quick, and they can be purchased online.
A list of the balcony parties are here:

Balcony partiesFeb. 17

• 5 p.m. - Mardi Gras! Headquarters Balcony Party
• 8 p.m. - 2017 Krewe of Thalasar Annual Mardi Gras Ball
• 8 p.m. - Krewe of Thalasar Balcony Party & Ball

Feb. 18

• Noon - iHeart Media Up Close & Personal with Sugar Ray, Tropkillaz & Bright Lights
• Noon - Mardi Gras! Headquarters Balcony Party
• Noon - Z Krewe Balcony Party: Zestival 2

Feb. 19

• 11 a.m. - Mardi Gras Brunch at Hotel Galvez
• Noon - Fiesta Gras! Up Close & Personal with La Mafia

Feb. 24

• 5 p.m. - Krewe Babalu Balcony Party
• 5 p.m. - Mardi Gras! Headquarters Balcony Party
• 5 p.m. - Up Close & Personal with Stoney LaRue
• 6 p.m. - Z Krewe Balcony Party: Zestival 3

Feb. 25

• Noon - Krewe Babalu Balcony Party
• Noon - Mardi Gras King's Court Balcony Party
• Noon - Mardi Gras! Headquarters Balcony Party and Grand Night Parade Viewing
• Noon - Z Krewe Balcony Party: Zestival 4
• 3 p.m. - Island ETC Mardi Gras Parade Viewing Party

Feb. 26

• Noon - Firefighters Children’s Parade Balcony Party
• Noon - Krewe of Barkus & Meoux Mardi Gras Parade Balcony Party

Feb. 28

• 5 p.m. - Kiwanis Club of Galveston Fat Tuesday Balcon Party

In addition to the parties, parades and all the beads thrown from floats, concerts and music from artists such as Sugar Ray, La Mafia and Robert Earl Keen.

For more information, click here.

Image: Tyler via Flickr

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