Culpeper Downtown Carnival is back this Saturday, featuring an assortment of New Orleans-inspired jubilation, refreshments and family activities.
Event sponsor Culpeper Renaissance is letting the good times roll and numerous downtown sites are buying into the fun.
“Fun for the entire family while exploring historic Downtown Culpeper, enjoy live music, interactive scavenger hunt, New Orleans-inspired food, strolling costumed performers, magician, caricature artist, and face painting,” according to a CRI release.
Get in the spirit and look the part as CRI volunteers hand out beads, masks and scavenger hunt cards from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Highlights of Downtown Carnival events include complimentary champagne from Botanical Dwellings, a free tote bag for the first 50 from Le Monkey House, a peacock feather cat toy for the first 10 customers at Reigning Cats & Dogs, festive refreshments at The Rusty Willow Boutique, and a Silks performance at State Climb.
Cajun cuisine, southern cocktails and sweet French treats will be in great supply Saturday in downtown Culpeper for Carnivale.
The It’s About Thyme restaurants will have jambalaya, red beans & rice, étouffée and shrimp and grits. Flavor On Main will offer fried oysters, Cajun shrimp cocktail, jambalaya risotto and beignets.
At Knakal’s Bakery, try the king cakes along with Mardi Gras cupcakes, cakes and sugar cookies. Uncle Elder’s BBQ will have shrimp creole and blackened catfish and, over at Grill 309, po boy sandwich with alligator, catfish or shrimp and gumbo along with Hurricanes.
The Sangria Bowl will have hush puppies and holiday cocktails and Raven’s Next will have Fat Tuesday pastries. Sweet Roux will serve up a Cajun themed menu and Far Gohn will have crawfish pizza. The Pier is celebrating Mardi Gras as well offering whole smoked alligator and King Cake martinis.
18 Grams Coffee Lab will have Carnival inspired food and drinks and Beer Hound will have Hurricane seltzer beverages.
Special activities will also be plentiful for the savory Saturday. The Museum of Culpeper History will host jousting demonstrations and a crown craft. Reservations recommended.
Other things to see, hear and do include a spinning demo at Knit Wit, gallery open house at Village Frameworks, face painting and music at Oma’s Creative Corner, coloring at Jackleg, mask making at Poppy+Chalk, zydeco music at Grill 309, the Dixie Land Band at 18 Grams, and paper gown making at Cleopatra Vaughn.
End the day at the SAFE Luxury Bingo soiree at The Refinery. Reservations required.
See culpeperdowntown.com for all the details and on Facebook at Culpeper Carnival.
Mardi Gras was brought to America in the 17th century when French explorers colonized the Louisiana region. It means “Fat Tuesday,” the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of fasting for the Christian season of Lent leading up to Easter. Fat Tuesday is March 1 this year.
New Orleans is the top city for Mardi Gras followed by St. Louis, Missouri. One of the biggest celebrations in the U.S. takes place in Soulard, a St. Louis neighborhood with a French name that translates to “drunkard,” according to a 2022 top 10 list from Lawn Love.
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