Decor for the 30th annual Universal Mardi Gras celebration has started to appear in Universal Studios Florida.
Universal Mardi Gras 2025 Decor
The decorations for the annual Mardi Gras celebration at Universal Studios Florida have arrived in anticipation of the start of Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval on February 1. Signage highlights that this is the 30th annual Mardi Gras celebration at the park.
The new anniversary medallions hang from the lampposts in Hollywood.
Green, purple, and yellow jester hats top the lampposts in Gramercy Park, bringing Mardi Gras to New York.
Mardi Gras needs music and these decorations pay tribute to the musical heritage of the event. An electric guitar, a trumpet, and a tambourine sit on a chair next to a guitar case and a jukebox. The tunes on the jukebox recall the classics of the 1950s. Frank Sinatra, Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, and Nat King Cole are all represented on the jukebox menu.
Statues remind guests of two of New Orleans’ most famous attractions — great food and jazz. The chef statue is smiling and sports a gold tooth, a blue chef’s hat with “Jazz” written on it, and a silver whisk. The jazz statue is a trumpet player, a la the great Louis Armstrong.
During Mardi Gras, it is a tradition to bake a small baby figure into a king cake. The baby symbolizes luck and prosperity to whoever finds it in the treat. It also signifies who will be the “King” or “Queen” of the celebrations until that person hosts the next party. While no cake was in sight, we did find a baby entwined in beads.
Colorful male and female figures wearing jester costumes and each holding a smaller jester statue stand side by side surrounded by flowers. The male figure has a red and yellow tunic with a teal and yellow jester hat, while the female figure has a black and white tunic with a red jester hat. Both figures are also wearing masks, as is the custom at Mardi Gras.
New Orleans and Mardi Gras are inseparable and this sign acknowledges the city of Mardi Gras with its nickname, “NOLA” (New Orleans, LA), and a fleur-de-lis, a symbol of New Orleans, serving as the cutout for the “O.”
A small purple and white archway is set up and covered in Mardi Gras beads. It’s surrounded by flowers with a gator sitting to the right.
The gator is dressed in overalls and a button-down down shirt with a red bandana and hat. He holds a banjo on his lap that reads”Tibideaux.”
Lamp posts are decorated with green, yellow, and purple jester hats. Colorful artwork and flowers are also on display.
A nearby cart reads “Hewett’s Mask & Bead Emporium” and features a garland of green, gold, and purple with beads throughout. Flowers sit below the sign in small planter boxes. A stone-like face is hanging on the right of the sign.
Displays are also set up throughout the street. The one above contains arrangements of flower pots, a white fan chair, and oversized statue heads of a Mardi Gras king and queen.
Smaller setups throughout the area feature more flowers and garden displays.
Signs of the Mardi Gras tribute store recently went up in Universal Studios Florida. In addition, the Mardi Gras concert lineup has been released, and Passholder benefits for the celebration have been announced.
The Mardi Gras celebration is one of several annual events at Universal Studios Florida in 2025, including the earliest start ever for Halloween Horror Nights.
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