What to KnowBeads and BitesSmorgasburg LAFeb. 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Free to enterThe weekly Arts District food-and-more market will host mask-making with Sketch LA, live brass tunes, and other nods to the celebratory occasion
Mardi Gras has a winning way of Mardi-Gras-ing well ahead of Fat Tuesday, but Mardi-Gras-ers beyond New Orleans don’t always know where to go to rock their feathery masks and enjoy some Louisiana-style fare.
If you’re in the vicinity of ROW DTLA on Sunday, Feb. 15 — that’s just two days before Mardi Gras proper in 2026 — you’ll want to follow the sounds of the brass band and dance into Smorgasburg LA.
The outdoor public market has become a holiday hub, the place to exuberantly observe various important dates on the calendar.
And on Feb. 15, it will be all about the making of masks, and the enjoying of music, at the outdoor spot. More Mardi Gras gleefulness, and gourmet goodies, will play a part in Beads and Bites, the market’s annual Fat-Tuesday-on-a-Sunday to-do.
Festive foods will be available for purchase, too. Look for a King Cake Cone at Sadgirl Creamery — the ice cream is pecan praline, and there’s cream cheese icing — and, mmm, a Banana Foster Matcha Latte at Offshore.
Terrible Burger’s Big Easy Burger and Cajun Fries is a hearty holiday choice, and the Hot Grease Po’ Boy has two tempting choices: snapper and tofu.
Sip specials will add to the atmosphere of the day, as will the pay-nothing entry. It all begins at 10 a.m., giving you a chance to go full Mardi before the morning is done.