Beads and bunting are at the ready as the UK’s biggest theme park will be totally transformed into the ultimate street party as Mardi Gras returns for 2022 - and Alton Towers is celebrating by offering the ultimate ‘money can’t buy experience’ to more than 30 lucky guests!
From 21st May – 19th June 2022, prepare to party as this carnival-style event is set to dazzle, thanks to an explosion of colours, sounds, high-energy entertainment and so much more. The park will be transformed with music, street performers, colour, and food, creating a fantabulous feel-good atmosphere not to be missed.
Each morning of the event, a carnival King and Queen will be chosen from amongst the guests and crowned during a lavish masquerade ceremony on the park’s iconic Towers Street entrance. Once anointed, the King and Queen will be treated like VIPs for the entire day with an exclusive VIP package which will include platinum fastracks, food and retail vouchers, entry to the Alton Towers Dungeons, the best seats in the house for the live shows, plus so much more.
Guests are encouraged to don lots of sparkles, beads, and colour, the brighter the better for the chance to be noticed and chosen! In the run-up to the event, Alton Towers will be sharing inspiration across its social media channels to give guests the best opportunity to gain crowning glory when they visit!
Mardi Gras is one of the world’s most popular celebrations famous for elaborate parades, decadent food and desserts, colourful ensembles and eye-catching decorations. Originating in New Orleans and synonymous with a “good time” the celebrations now span the globe.
Inspired by the core essence of Mardi Gras worldwide, bringing people together and celebrating their community, each themed area of the park will be represented by its own ‘Krewe’, with the brand new Towers Street Krewe for 2022.
The Krewes will be flamboyantly dressed atop its own showstopping static parade float and throughout the day, each Krewe will be ‘takin’ it to the streets’ for some high-energy live entertainment filling the park with all the colours and energy that Mardi Gras has to offer. At the start and end of each day on Towers Street, at the main entrance, all the Krewes will come together for the ultimate finale, offering guests a wondrous chance to pick their favourite and get into the Mardi Gras spirit!
Mardi Gras is a celebration to indulge all the senses and the taste buds are no exception. Bigger and better than ever before, Food Street is returning, and guests can choose from delicious ‘Dirty Dogs’ hotdogs, smokery burgers, pulled pork and ribs for a real South American BBQ flavour, or try a Louisiana staple fish-filled fancy Po’Boy sandwich. Finish like royalty by indulging in a traditional Mardi Gras inspired King Cake, fried and glazed to tickle the tastebuds.
Also brand new for 2022, and for the very first time in the park's history, a wonderfully themed unique lakeside bar experience with floating pontoon seating on the lake of the iconic Alton Towers will offer guests stunning views across the park and the celebrations.
Guests will also have the chance to ride the park's thrilling world class roller coasters and experience the first class family attractions as the sun goes down.
Overnight guests will also get to enjoy even more exclusive live entertainment, food and drink into the evening, including limited edition Mardi Gras cocktails!
Chris Carter, Events and Entertainments Director at Alton Towers, said:
“Mardi Gras is celebrated around the world and it invites people from all communities to come together to enjoy music, entertainment, delicious food, parades and parties.
We are really excited to see the return of our Mardi Gras inspired takeover at Alton Towers – the core of Mardi Gras worldwide is about bringing people together and celebrating your local community, which is something we are really keen to tap into. We’ve got an incredible line-up of live entertainment, each themed area of the park will be represented by its own Krewe, and every day we will be crowning carnival Kings and Queens in a lavish masquerade ceremony, which we’re sure our guests will love.”
Mardi Gras will take place from 21st May – 19th June 2022.