It was an epic day in Venice as the annual Venice Beach Mardi Gras parade crescendoed into a frenzy of festivities at Windward Plaza.

Throngs of revelers, dressed in their Venice Beach Mardi Gras finest, danced and swayed their way into Surfside for the afterparty of all afterparties!

And, Venice Paparazzi was on the scene to document all the action with their ace photography team and super fun, Mardi Gras themed photo booth!

A big fist bump to  Miss Jessica and The Gumbo Brothers for throwing down the jams and helping to keep the Venice Beach Mardi Gras Parade tradition alive for the last 17 years!

Here is a message from Surfside!

At Surfside, we pride ourselves in supporting the community by supplying local beers, providing a stage for musicians, using local produce, and doing our part to help the environment.

You’ll find our fun, beach vibe environment, the perfect spot to hang on a sunny day, have a happy hour drink after work, and enjoy the nightlife full of live music, DJs, themed parties, and games.

Team Surfside

Come on in.  Let’s share some great food, drinks, and enjoy the vibe. We’ll even do the dishes. ​

You’ll find us at the Venice Breakwater on the corner of Windward & Speedway.

23 Windward Ave. Venice, Ca 90291.  SurfsideVenice.com

A little Venice History:   

Following insert by Jeffrey Stanton.  “Venice held its first annual Mardi Gras Festival August 16-18, 1935. The three day event featuring parades, costumes, contests and entertainment, was modeled after the New Orleans event.  It began with the arrival of King Neptune in an outrigger canoe followed by Queen Venetia’s coronation and a royal procession along Ocean Front Walk. The queen read a proclamation commanding her subjects to engage in three days of fun and frivolity. The afternoon parade featured floats and costumed merrymakers wearing enormous plaster of Paris heads that were manufactured in Arthur Reese’s studio.

2019 Venice Beach Mardi Gras King and Queen Paul and Deanna

Windward Avenue was roped off for a street carnival where wandering gondoliers entertained. The parade included Keystone Cops and people wearing enormous plaster of Paris head gear. The king and queen’s float along Venice’s Ocean Front Walk. – 1938. There was an afternoon treasure hunt for children and an evening program of aquatic events on Saturday. Sunday’s Miss California beauty pageant drew huge crowds, and a Mardi Gras Ball in the evening capped the celebration. The Mardi Gras Festival became an annual event of considerable importance prior to World War II. It became bigger and better each succeeding year and civic pride improved. By 1941 five hundred thousand people attended the expanded four day event in its final year.  For more history on Venice, visit Jeffrey Stanton’s website.

View Venice Beach Mardi Gras After Party pics by Venice Paparazzi.

• Photos by Venice Paparazzi’s Edizen Stowell, Maiwenn Raoult and the VP Photo Booth.
• Need photographers for you event?  Hire Venice Paparazzi
• Tag @SurfsideVenice and photo credit @VenicePaparazzi

View all Mardi Gras Photo Booth pics here!

View all party pics here!

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For more info:  SurfsideVenice.com