You don’t need to get up before dawn and stand in line for an hour or more to get a great king cake on the Mississippi Coast.
The Mardi Gras season, also referred to as Carnival, begins 12 days after Christmas on Jan. 6 and lasts until Fat Tuesday.
The Krewe of Rio opens the 2026 Mardi Gras season in Lafayette with a traditional king cake cutting and its 21st Annual Ball at the Cajundome.