Thinking of building or buying a Mardi Gras ladder for your kids to use during parade season? You’re thinking like a local! Whether you love ladders or hate them, unless the city decides to ban them, you’re going to see them on the parade route. Most parents wouldn’t have it any other way.
Mardi Gras ladders are a great way for kids to get the best view of Mardi Gras–and for the float riders to get the best view of the kids! As you might suspect, kids on ladders score the best throws, but there is a downside–ladders can be dangerous. They can be accidentally knocked down, hurting not only the kid on the ladder but the people down below. They could even fall in front of a moving float.
When using a ladder, it’s important to be courteous and follow the rules. For instance, ladders cannot block a sidewalk or an intersection. What’s more, you are legally required to place your ladder at least six feet from the curb. An adult should supervise the ladder at all times. To ensure stability, most parents will stand on the ladder when their kids are on top.
How to Make a Ladder
Most hardware stores in New Orleans sell kits. All the hardware is there–you just have to attach the box and add the wheels and straps. Some parents prefer to build their own box. Click here to find find everything you need to know to make your own Mardi Gras ladder.
Like we said, your child’s safety, as well as the safety of those around you, is key when building a Mardi Gras ladder. When you make your own ladder, you know you’re using quality materials. Plus, you can decorate it however you want which is part of the fun.
Where to Buy a Ladder
Not it a DIYer? You can purchase beautiful handcrafted Mardi Gras ladders online. Just Google around.
When to Set It Up
Keep in mind that ladders set up more than 24 hours before a parade can be removed by the city. Also, the unwritten rule is it’s okay to borrow an unoccupied ladder, but don’t move it. If the owner shows up, say “thank you” and relinquish the space. The last thing a kid needs to see at Mardi Gras is adults behaving like children.
More Parade Tips and Recommendations
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This year, Family Gras will take place at Mardi Gras Plaza, in the 3300 block of Veterans Memorial Boulevard across from Lakeside Shopping Center. The festivities are scheduled for February 6 & 7 with free outdoor concerts. This year’s entertainment lineup is yet to be announced.
But Family Gras is more than just great concerts by big-name performers – it’s parades, food, an Art Market, kids’ activities and even a run! Come enjoy all your favorite New Orleans dishes at the Flambeau Food Court, shop for local art, photography and hand-crafted jewelry at the Art Market and don’t miss the face painting, hand-wax art and interactive games for kids 12 and under at the Kids’ Court.
Mardi Gras is not just for grownups. Come join the fun this year!
Photo: VisitJeffersonParish.com
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New Year’s Eve Activities for Families
New Year’s Eve is not just for grownups – not even in New Orleans. Here are some fun ways to say “bienvenue” (welcome) to 2026 in NOLA with your little ones. If you play it right, you can have a great day with the kids and still get home in time to pick up the babysitter and go out on the town.
Noon Year’s Eve at Louisiana Children’s Museum
With this countdown ’til noon event at the Louisiana Children’s Museum in City Park on December 31, kids who can’t stay up until midnight don’t have to miss the fun.
New Year’s Eve Parade
End the New Year with a Mardi Gras-style parade in the French Quarter. The Allstate Sugar Bowl New Year’s Eve Parade begins at the intersection of Elysian Fields Avenue and Decatur Street at 2 p.m. (time subject to change).
Fireworks on the Riverfront
If you have children old enough to stay up until midnight, find yourself a spot along the riverfront from the New Orlean Hilton Riverside to Crescent Park.
View A Kid’s Guide to Mardi Gras
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Prepare your little prancers and dancers! Jazz Brunch with Santa is back at The Court of Two Sisters!
The annual celebration will take place on December 19, 22 & 23 this year and will include live jazz entertainment, a brunch buffet, a visit with Santa, and a gift for every child (naughty or nice.)
Costs: $56 for ages 13+ and $36 for ages 2-12 with a paid adult.
This popular event always sells out so book now. Prepaid reservations are required. Call 504-522-7261, ext. 24 or email [email protected].
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Sailing with Santa – Sat., Nov. 29, 2025
Teach your children the true meaning of Christmas on Sailing with Santa Cruise on the Steamboat NATCHEZ. Head down to the dock near Jax Brewery in the French Quarter on November 29th. The cruise is $5 per person (without lunch) and $20 per person (lunch included). All participants, regardless of age, must bring a new, unwrapped toy to be donated to Toys for Tots.
Entertainment on board will be geared to children, with a meet and greet and photos with a visit from Santa. Holiday attire is recommended but not required.
Boarding time: 2 p.m.
Cruising: 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Ticket pickup and cruise: 400 Toulouse Street (adjacent to JAX Brewery Building)
For reservations and more info about the Sailing with Santa Cruise, go here.
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Who’s hungry for New Orleans culture? This free celebration in Louis Armstrong Park on November 8th and 9th will have food, music, and dance–everything you love about this city. It just wouldn’t be fall, y’all, without the Treme Creole Gumbo Festival.
City Park will be covered in powdered sugar on November 15th for this festival featuring dozens of different kinds of beignet dishes, a Kids Village, an Artist Market, live music and more.
See: New Orleans Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving Day
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This year, take your family to the Festival Grounds in New Orleans City Park for Beignet Fest, benefiting local autism programs for children and families. This annual event takes place on Saturday, November 15th, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Come get your fill of all kinds of beignets, savory and sweet, stuffed and not.
Entertainment
Along with live music, there will also be a Kid’s Village, an Artist Market, and a Beer Garden for the parents. And kids under 12 get in free! Learn more.
Photo credit: Beignet Fest
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For a field trip that’s as fun as it is educational, hop aboard the Steamboat NATCHEZ where student and scout groups can experience history in motion. This beloved paddle wheeler brings the story of New Orleans and the mighty Mississippi to life with live jazz, fascinating narration, and a peek inside a real working Steam Engine Room. It’s hands-on learning—New Orleans style. Gray Line New Orleans can even help you manage all aspects of your transportation.
Here’s a chance for your group to explore how steamboats shaped our nation. You’ll hear the calliope play before boarding, and see the inner workings of river travel up close. Scouts even have the chance to earn a special Steamboat NATCHEZ Heritage Patch by completing a self-guided Steam Engine Room tour.
Teachers and scout leaders can request educational materials, from simple Q&A sheets for younger grades to more in-depth observation activities for older students. These tie perfectly into lessons about science, history, and the unique river culture of New Orleans.
2025 Local School & Scout Rates
Daytime Cruise Pricing: Students & Chaperone Groups
of 10 or More (Pre-K through 12th Grade)
Daytime Jazz Cruise
Monday-Friday
Boards at 11 a.m.
Cruises 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Sightseeing Only
Children (6-12): $13
Adults (13+): $13
Sightseeing & Lunch
Children (6-12): $28.50
Adults (13+): $38
$5 Super Scout Meal Special
For only $5 per Boy or Girl Scout, the Super Scout Meal Special includes a hot dog from the Snack Bar, typically $9 on board, a bag of chips, and the Scout’s choice of water or soda. The Steamboat NATCHEZ Snack Bar is located in the Captain’s Salon on the bottom deck.
Get the Wheels Churning!
Plan a Field Trip They’ll Never Forget
For more details, or to plan your next great field trip, reach out to [email protected], call (504) 569-1401 or visit their website. Custom group packages and meal options are available.
Krewe of Boo, October 25!
Monster fun will be had at the city’s official Halloween parade, Krewe of Boo in the Boo Carré (of course). The event features scary-cool floats from Kern Studios, the premier float building organization in America. Dracula, the werewolf, Frankenstein…they’ll all be there. Come catch candy, beads, stuffed Halloween-themed toys and more! Put on your costume and yell “Throw me something, Monsta!” For parade route info and more information, go to www.kreweofboo.com.
Boo at the Zoo, Oct. 17, 18 & 19
For years, Boo at the Zoo at the Audubon Zoo has been the highlight of the Halloween season in New Orleans. Take a ride on the Ghost Train. Enter a haunted house – if you dare. And let your little human animals go trick-or-treating.
Ghosts in the Oaks, Oct. 16-19
This Monster Mash in Carousel Gardens Amusement Park at City Park includes a trick-or-treat path, unlimited amusement park rides, arts & crafts, a pumpkin patch, balloon animals, live music and more. Children under 2 are admitted free of charge.
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One of the fun things about Mardi Gras is seeing all the group costumes – families and friends that dress according to a theme. Not only is it more fun – it’s easier to pick each other out in a crowd. We’ve seen families dress as all the characters from the Wizard of Oz, Batman villains and Avengers. And then there was the group of friends who went as cockroaches (ew!).
This Halloween, why not pick a costume theme for your family? Kids love it when their parents costume and you’ll treasure the photos forever. Here are five fun “New Orleans” inspired ideas.
1. Go as beignets and café au lait
Dad can be the coffee cup, mom a napkin holder and the kids can all be beignets.
2. Go as New Orleans characters
Draw names to see who will be your Jean Lafitte, your Andrew Jackson, your Marie Laveau, your riverboat pilot and your Satchmo.
3. Go as the ingredients to gumbo
You’ll need a shrimp, a crab, an okra, a bottle of filé, a wooden spoon and a pot.
4. Go as New Orleans streets
St. Charles could be dressed as a mansion, Bourbon Street could be a lamp post , Frenchmen Street could be a trumpet and Canal Street could be a red streetcar.
5. Go as animals from the Audubon Zoo
A white alligator, a flamingo, a sea lion, a chimpanzee…someone could even go as the Roman Candy cart!
Get your kids involved and use your creativity! Let your imaginations run wild. Part of the fun of Halloween is the planning.
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