👥 Who: Local krewes, residents, visitors, and Gulf Coast communities
🎭 What: Mardi Gras parades, festivals, live music, and themed events
📅 When: Jan. 30 through Feb. 17, 2026
📍 Where: Panama City Beach, Navarre Beach, Destin, Sandestin, Pensacola, Orange Beach
🎉 Why: To celebrate Mardi Gras traditions with a coastal, family-friendly twist
Mardi Gras will return to the Emerald Coast in early 2026 with a packed calendar of parades, festivals, and family-friendly celebrations stretching from Panama City Beach to Pensacola and beyond.
Major events are scheduled from late January through mid-February, blending traditional Mardi Gras pageantry with coastal themes, live music, and community-centered festivities across Northwest Florida and nearby Alabama beaches.
Panama City Beach kicked off the season on Jan. 30–31 with the Panama City Beach Mardi Gras & Music Festival at Pier Park. The two-day event featured the Krewe of Dominique Youx parade, live music, children’s activities, and fireworks.
Destin’s HarborWalk Village will host Mardi Gras on the Harbor on Feb. 13, a nighttime event featuring a second-line style parade, live music, and New Orleans-inspired food and drinks. Destin will also host a Mardi Gras Dinner Cruise aboard SunQuest Cruises’ Solaris yacht later in February, offering a three-course meal and live entertainment on the water.
The following weekend, Pensacola will take center stage with the Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade on Feb. 14, one of the region’s largest and most traditional celebrations. Festivities will continue Feb. 15 with the Krewe of Wrecks Parade on Pensacola Beach, known for its relaxed, beach-themed atmosphere.
Also on Feb. 15, Sandestin’s Village of Baytowne Wharf will host its annual Baytowne Mardi Gras Parade, a family-friendly event popular with both locals and visitors.
Just west of the Emerald Coast, additional Gulf Coast celebrations will round out the season, including Moon Pies on Main at The Wharf in Orange Beach on Feb. 16 and the Orange Beach Mardi Gras Parade on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Organizers say the 2026 Mardi Gras season offers something for everyone, from traditional parades and high-energy nightlife to daytime events designed for families, all set against the backdrop of the Gulf Coast.
If you know of additional Mardi Gras celebrations happening along the Emerald Coast, email news@midbaynews.com.
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St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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