Mardi Gras Fest 2025

Date: 15 Feb

Time: 11:00am - 6:00pm

Location: Gloucester, N.C.

Description:

Unknown Tongues band hosts the 32nd annual Gloucester, N.C., Mardi Gras Feb. 15, 2025, at the Community Club. Preparations start the Friday night before with veggie chopping and a music jam. Mardi Gras opens at 11 a.m. Saturday morning with live music. Gumbo, deep fried turkey, and delicious side dishes are ready by early afternoon, announced by a Fool's Procession. 

Mask-making is available for kids! Costumes are welcome! Unknown Tongues plays at 3 p.m., kicking off the dance with the children's King and Queen coronation, march and bead toss. We are accepting gumbo donations (chicken, sausage, onions, garlic, etc.)! Email unknowntongues@gmail.com. This event is always FREE and OPEN to everybody. Kids and instruments? Oui! Dogs? Non! Need more info? Call Barbara Garrity-Blake or Bryan Blake at 252-729-8021.

The couple says, "We model our Mardi Gras after the community spirit of the rural Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana, without the horses, whips and stealing of chickens."

Directions: Gloucester Mardi Gras is located at 476 Pigott Road, Gloucester, N.C., 28528. Take U.S. 70 east from Beaufort, N.C., over the North River bridge through Bettie and Otway. Turn right at Harkers Island Road (follow the Cape Lookout National Seashore signs) at crossroad's convenient store. Go three miles or so and take the first paved left (Straits Road) that forks off from Harkers Island Road. Bear left at the traffic triangle, go about a half mile and then take the first paved right (Pigott Road). Follow this loop road as it curves to the left, and you'll see Mardi Gras on right on corner of Pigott and Ferry Dock roads.