San Diego Fat Tuesday Party Guide
The Parade And Bars Rock The Gaslamp

The Fat Tuesday parade queen makes her way through San Diego's Gaslamp.
Photos: Jack Fleming Photography

• San Diego Gaslamp Fat Tuesday Parade & Party Feb. 12, 2013

Fat Tuesday celebrations are hardly limited to places like New Orleans and Rio.

Neither are parades.

One of the most fun places to be for the big party climax of Carnival is downtown San Diego. The Southern California city by the sea hosts a parade that runs right through the Gaslamp Quarter downtown. This is New Orleans or Rio for those who can't make it to New Orleans or Rio.

These girls don't have their Mardi Gras beads – yet.

PubClub.com loves Fat Tuesday in San Diego!

Just as in Nawlens, people watch the the party from balconies.

Hey from the balcony of The Field.

San Diego's Fat Tuesday celebration is a Mini Mardi Gras, a close-your-eyes-and-you-could-be-on-Bourbon Street party.

This is not some small, silly community event masquerading as a Mardi Gras parade. It's a full-on affair, complete with fun-loving parade participants throwing beads off floats to people – of which there are about 50,000 – lined up along the street.

She's having a blast with Shock Top!

It's a hot scene in San Diego for Fat Tuesday.

Group photo! It's party time in the Gaslamp for Fat Tuesday.

There are street performers a DJ pumping tunes and even a parade.

It is remarkably similar to New Orleans (well, almost, and there's enough room to move around as opposed to Bourbon Street for Fat Tuesday). Look at the people in costumes and it could even be Rio. The crowd loves to collect beads and there are some girls anxious – and willing – to earn even more.

The Masquerade Parade

The Masquerade Parade goes from 9:30-10:30 and is the unquestioned highlight of the event. Thousands line the parade route and they beg for beads. With plenty of beer stations, it's even easier to get a drink here than on Boubon Street.

The block party takes place along 5th Ave. The area is blocked off, beer is sold in the street from booths (Shock Top and Bud Light), people are dancing and the balconies of the bars are packed.

The parade involves people walking on stilts, no easy trick.

You can get cold Budweisers in the streets during the parade.

This beer stand pours liquid refreshments.

With go-go dancers on platforms, people dancing in the street and hip – and hot – DJs – Fifth Avenue turns into San Diego's biggest dance club (bigger than even anything in Vegas or South Beach can produce).

Throughout the event, the many restaurants and bars of the area welcome customers with dinner and drink specials – and the customers respond by consuming lots of food and drinks.

This is a ticketed event, $25 at the door, $20 in advance. It is very important to note there are no in/out privledges. The event lasts from 6 p.m.-midnight.

It's cheers with beers in the Gaslamp bars after the parade.

PubClub.com parties after the parade in the bar.

We'll tip our hat to this fun girl at a Gaslamp bar after Fat Tuesday.

People go after beads in San Diego like they do in New Orleans.

Tilted Kilt has a float, stocked with its hot bartenders and waitresses.

One of the floats in the parade.

Couples, as well as singles, turn out for Fat Tuesday in the Gaslamp.

There are DJs in the street providing pumping house music.

 
One of the hot dancers on a platform on the Street.

The hot dancers who perform on the platforms.