The carnival season in New Orleans officially begins in January, but party goers need not travel far from the border to get their Mardi Gras fix. The sights sounds and tastes of exotic food, dancing, and international performers descend upon Laredo’s historic downtown district to make way for the annual UETA Jamboozie, breathing new life to the border city and resurrecting the downtown club scene one Brazilian Samba dancer at a time.

Boisterous revelers fill the streets by the thousands donning feathered masks, layers of beads and face paint as they shimmy and shake their hips to the sounds of the Samba Vida Brazilian Dance Troupe and other musical sensations in one of the most widely attended Washington’s Birthday Celebration events.

Operating under the auspices of Laredo Main Street, this festive pachanga offers a sampling of music from all parts of the globe and a taste of international as well as regional foods including New Orleans and Cajun style selections sure to tantalize your taste buds.

You will not be able to resist the conga line of colorful characters wearing outrageous masks and donning elaborate Vegas style headdresses, vibrantly colored ruffled sleeves and sparkling face paint, as they wind down the downtown streets stopping at every corner block.  There are plenty of free beads and face painting in this rowdy event that boasts “good clean fun” for the entire family. Accompanying more than 30 food and novelty booths that line a 20 block area of downtown Laredo selling gorditas, tacos, flautas, menudo, enchiladas and the like, are a string of regional, national, and internationally renowned performers taking center stage on six locations on the corner of Hidalgo, Lincoln, Iturbide, San Agustin, Flores and Grant Streets.

So dig up last year’s party masks and take out your beads, it’s time to hit the downtown party scene and celebrate a sizzling New Orleans’ style Mardi Gras — the Laredo way! For more information, check out their website: www.jamboozie.org

Tickets can be purchased at:

Jamboozie Tickets