Mardi Gras might be built on beads, brass bands, and Bourbon Street—but On-Premise behavior around the occasion reveals deeper patterns. Ground Signal tracked consumer social mentions and layered in menu and sales data from the venues where the celebration is most alive. The takeaway? Guests are showing up for authenticity, tropical cues, and a high-energy edge that blends tradition with nightlife heat.
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Spirit of the City:
Mardi Gras cocktail conversations are dominated by unmistakably New Orleans–born serves — Hurricane (+17,551%) and Sazerac (+3,182%) — alongside the Caribbean-adjacent Daiquiri (+664%), reinforcing that authenticity and cultural roots, not generic party drinks, define the occasion.
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Flavor That Hits Different:
Mardi Gras skews decisively tropical — Banana (+575%) and Coconut (+303%) heavily over-index — while Apple leads growth, with mention share up +288% over three years.
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The Scene Evolves:
Mardi Gras environments blend deep cultural roots with modern nightlife energy — Jazz (+325%) over-indexes, while Gambling (+73%) and EDM (+60%) show strong three-year growth, signaling a tradition-meets-high-energy evolution.
