Three Parades, Three Days. It’s Mardi Gras Weekend

The Krewe of Lafitte, the Pensacola Mardi Gras Foundation and the Krewe of Wrecks are ready to roll. First up is the Friday night Krewe of Lafitte Illuminated Parade, a nighttime spectacle featuring glowing floats and marching groups. Streets along the Pensacola parade route will begin closing at 4 p.m., with the parade stepping off at 7:30 p.m.

The 2026 Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade, produced by the Pensacola Mardi Gras Foundation lineup begins at 10 a.m. Roads will start closing at 10 and will be fully closed by noon. The parade will roll promptly at 2 p.m., rain or shine. Thousands of riders, walkers, bands, and krewes will fill Downtown Pensacola in what is widely considered the largest day of the year for the city.

This year’s Grand Parade will feature a temporarily modified route as the Reimagine Palafox project is underway. Instead of turning south on Palafox Street at Garden Street, the parade will travel east on Garden Street to Jefferson Street, then turn south on Jefferson Street and conclude at Main Street.

For the Pensacola parades, spectators are encouraged to arrive early for parking and to pay close attention to road closures. For traffic updates, parking information, and route maps, visit pensacolamardigras.com. 

Completing the trifecta of parades, the Krewe of Wrecks Parade will roll from Avenida 10 west on Via de Luna, Sunday, February 15, stepping off at 2 p.m. Pensacola Beach’s Parade is in its 46th year. Head Wreck Jim Fetty says spectators should come early and stay late.

The weather forecast can impact these outdoor events. The Wrecks will roll rain or shine but severe weather may change the schedule. Look for future announcements on facebook.com/kreweofwrecks and shared by Island Times (facebook.com/IslandTimesNewspaper)

Let the good times roll!