Throw a Mardi Gras-Themed Oscar Party

Mardi Gras is upon us, but there are probably a few of you out there who may not feel the need to join the seven-day extravaganza. If you would prefer to lay low this year while staying festive, you're in luck because the 86th Annual Academy Awards show happens to fall on Sunday, March 2. The show is right in the middle of the Mardi Gras festivities, so why not throw a Mardi Gras-themed Oscar party? There are plenty of ways to enjoy a night in watching the Oscars, while still celebrating Mardi Gras. Here are a few party ideas:

Recycle Your Mardi Gras Costume
Thought you’d never get to wear that metallic shirt you bought to wear to the parades? Think again. The Academy Awards presentation is a showy event, much like Mardi Gras, so all of those sparkly, sequined items are perfect for it. You can ask your guests to wear their most gaudy outfits in honor of their favorite celebrity.

Load Up on Decorations
An Oscar party would not be complete without your very own red carpet. There are a few options for this. One is to set it up on your front steps, by using a red plastic table cloth or a long roll of red felt. The other option is to set it up in your entrance hallway, so when guests enter, they will be able to strut down the “red carpet." You can even have someone standing by to take pictures like the paparazzi.

You can easily reuse many of your Mardi Gras decorations for this party as well. Anything gold and glittery is a perfect decoration for an Oscar-themed fête. Gold streamers can be found at Party City or your local Walmart. Another fun way to make it vibrant is to get a set of plastic martini throw-away cups and decorate them with glitter glue yourself. Each guest can have a personalized cup so there's no confusion about whose is whose.

Offer Fancy Refreshments
No party in New Orleans is complete without some type of adult beverage. An easy drink for an Oscar party is Champagne, but if you want to go the extra mile, there are a few different Champagne cocktails that are quite tasty. Also, local bakeries, such as Gambino’s Bakery in Metairie, do custom designs, so you can order an Oscar-themed set of cupcakes or cookies if you call in advance.

Give Out Prizes
Every Oscar-themed party needs a score sheet game. Make sure to hand out score sheets to all of your guests at the beginning of the party, and have them fill out who they think is going to win in all of the major categories. As the names are announced, each person can check off if they got it correct, and you can hand out little prizes to all the winners. These prizes can be Mardi Gras-themed, such as koozies or specialized go-cups, because there are still two days of Mardi Gras left after Sunday. In the end, whoever has the most guesses correct wins the grand prize, which in true Mardi Gras fashion, should be a special bottle of alcohol, like Champagne.

Most importantly, keep the Mardi Gras atmosphere and the “laissez les bon temps rouler” attitude alive because some of the best times can be had when you just let go and have fun with your friends. 
 

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