STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.—What began as a simple Fat Tuesday notion burst into a lively Mardi Gras moment on Castleton Avenue Tuesday evening, injecting fresh momentum into a corridor where merchants are pushing hard for visibility, regular events and overdue city improvements. Organized by the Castleton Avenue Merchants Association, the celebration stretched from Oakland to Davis Avenues and drew about 60 visitors who came out to enjoy the colorful strip.
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Mardis Gras 2026 Staten Island
Balloon arrangements dressed the lampposts, and storeowners Jean Daggan and her daughter-in-law, Kristin Daggan, placed beads around the necks of revelers who lingered along storefronts accented in purple, green and gold. Proprietor Casey O’Connor Manasia of Farm to Bagel treated passersby to gluten-free hush puppies served with maple syrup for dipping.
Daggan said the event helped strengthen the corridor’s visibility with city agencies. “We don’t know exactly when it’s happening, but DOT has agreed that we’re getting more lighting down here,” she said. “Staten Island Borough Hall facilitated meetings, and the commissioner’s office even reached out to me directly. That feels like a real step forward for this corridor.”
She added that community-driven events remain key to drawing attention. “The more we do things like this, the more the city notices us,” she said. “Commissioner Dynishal Gross coming today was a big deal. She’s the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Small Business Services, and her being here shows we’re not just going through standard protocol—we’re advocating for more, more, more for this neighborhood.”
State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton has also emerged as an important supporter of the strip. In October, she helped bring merchants, officials and city agencies together for an open discussion about the corridor’s needs and long‑standing quality‑of‑life challenges. Daggan said that early involvement set the tone for ongoing progress. “Senator Scarcella‑Spanton really showed up for us,” she said. “She got everyone to the table back in the fall, and having her here today was huge. It tells us the work we’re doing on this corridor matters—and that people at the highest levels are paying attention.”
Entertainment for the evening included the talented Ladawn Taylor portraying Disney’s Tiana, who traveled from Harlem with fellow performers via the Staten Island Ferry before taking the stage. Her appearance added a welcome spark of live energy to the smaller-scale celebration.
King Cake is a Mardi Gras staple. This one, made by Casey O’Connor Manasia of Farm to Bagel, symbolizes the arrival of the Three Kings and the start of Carnival season, complete with the traditional hidden baby said to determine who brings the next cake.(Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
Co-organizer Kristin Daggan, who runs Clay & Kiln Pottery Studio on the strip, said the two-hour event began at 4 p.m. and built steadily. In a twist on the traditional parade format, the procession unfolded along the sidewalk rather than the street, giving drivers cruising down Castleton Avenue a clear view. At one point, a woman stopped to tell Daggan, “This event so made my day,” a comment Daggan said left her touched and grateful.
Businesses along the avenue found their own ways to mark the holiday, offering themed activities, festive snacks and colorful storefront displays. Clay & Kiln welcomed families for crafts and photo ops; Farm to Bagel served Creole-inspired bites; Xelaju Bakery and neighboring shops dressed their windows in Mardi Gras hues; and La Torretta Pizzeria kept its doors open to visitors. The Forest Avenue BID, also known as the Staten Island Business Outreach Center (SIBOC), helped fund the festivities.
Mardi Gras marks the eve of Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten season for many Christian traditions. Also called “Fat Tuesday,” it serves as a final moment of festivity before a period of fasting and reflection. On Castleton Avenue, that spirit appeared in neighborhood form as the sun set behind decorated storefronts—including the former Nurnberger Bierhaus property, now a storefront church.
Daggan concluded, “It’s nice because the whole idea is community. That’s really what it’s about.”