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Universal Orlando will launch its annual Mardi Gras celebration on Saturday, February 9, 2013, with four new parade floats, a wide array of cajun cooking, and a concert series of popular artists. Today Universal offered a sneak peek of the new floats, each with a colorful new theme. This year’s parade celebrates “Colorful Cultures Around the World,” featuring several elaborate, hand-crafted floats built by Blaine Kern Artists – the same company that designs floats for the Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans.
The new “Elegance of India” float at Universal Orlando’s 2013 Mardi Gras parade celebrates the magic of Bollywood, complete with exotic fabrics and hypnotic dances of color and light:
The new “Mexican Day of the Dead” float pays homage to the traditional holiday celebrated in Mexico, complete with a skeletal bride and groom, sugar skulls and a light fog trail:
The “Chinese New Year” float celebrates the beginning of the Chinese calendar year, complete with traditional paper lanterns and a huge, ornate dragon flying above:
With a French Quarter-style balcony and jazz musicians galore, the newly-enhanced “Music of New Orleans” float showcases the musical impact the Big Easy:
Turning to the cuisine of Mardi Gras, in the video below award-winning Universal Parks and Resorts Executive Chef Steven Jayson shares the step-by-step process that he uses to make the jambalaya that has become a favorite for Mardi Gras guests. The full recipe is included at the end of the demo:
Lifehouse will be the first band performing at Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras this year, with 13 other acts continuing each weekend through April 20.
Mardi Gras is included with admission to Universal Studios. For more information, visit www.universalorlando.com/mardigras.
