Universal Mardi Gras

The 2026 parade had 12 handcrafted floats designed by Kern Studios, the New Orleans float builder, with riders throwing beads to the crowd. It usually stepped off at 7 p.m. Some nights ran earlier: 5 p.m. on February 11 and March 3, and 6 p.m. on February 27 and March 6, 16 and 20.

Claim a spot along the route early if you want a front-row bead position, especially with children. Check the parade time on Universal's app on the day, because it changes on some dates.

Concerts are included with admission and generally start at 8:30 p.m. The 2026 lineup:

• February 7: Kaskade
• February 14: Portugal. The Man
• February 15: Ivy Queen
• February 21: Joey Fatone and AJ McLean
• February 28: RuPaul (DJ set)
• March 7: Shaggy
• March 13: Tyler Hubbard
• March 14: Bebe Rexha
• March 15: Zedd
• March 21: Barenaked Ladies
• March 28: The All-American Rejects

Most concerts fall on Saturdays, with a few Fridays and Sundays. Some seasonal passholders are blocked out on concert nights, a sign of how busy Universal expects them to be. If you want the park quieter, pick a parade-only night.

In 2026 Universal served more than 60 tasting-size items at kiosks. The theme widened from New Orleans to carnival traditions from around the world. Inside Universal reported discounted food cards, for example $65 for $75 of food.

The paid extra is the Float Ride and Dine package: a three-course meal at one of five participating restaurants and a reserved spot riding a float in the parade. It cost $94.99 per person in 2026, with 15% off for passholders. For a child who wants to throw beads rather than catch them, it is a memorable splurge.

The Mardi Gras tribute store moved to the Hollywood area of the park in 2026 with a new Baron TonTon's Roadhouse theme.

Not on its own. Mardi Gras adds a parade, a concert and some festival food to a normal Universal Studios day. That is a good bonus, and at no extra cost it beats most paid evening events in Orlando for value. But it does not replace what you came for: the rides. Think of it as a reason to be in Universal Studios Florida, rather than Islands of Adventure or Epic Universe, on one particular evening of your trip.

The exception is a concert by an act you would pay to see anyway. In that case, check the lineup as soon as Universal publishes it, and plan your Universal Studios day for that date. A theme-park ticket that includes a headline concert can be better value than an arena seat.

If you visit in autumn instead, Universal Studios hosts the separately ticketed Halloween Horror Nights, which is a very different evening.

You need a ticket for Universal Studios Florida that day. A park-to-park ticket lets you spend the day at Islands of Adventure and cross over for the evening parade; see Universal Orlando tickets. Staying at a hotel in the Universal area makes the late walk home easy.

Mardi Gras usually overlaps with the start of EPCOT's Flower & Garden Festival, which opens March 10, 2027, and with SeaWorld's Seven Seas Food Festival. A late-February or March trip can take in all three.