North Padre Island’s sand will transform into a parade route at Barefoot Mardi Gras Saturday, Feb. 28, bringing locals, Winter Texans, and visitors to one of the island’s biggest events of the year. This year’s beachfront event is anticipated to attract one of the biggest audiences ever due to record participation, an expanded route, and increasing attendance.
The event, an annual fundraiser hosted by the Padre Island Business Association, supports local nonprofit organizations each year with a portion of the proceeds.
“To our knowledge, we are the only parade that runs entirely on a beach in the country,” said event representative Stephanie Hesch. This year’s parade is shaping up to be one of the biggest in its 16-plus-year history. As of Monday, 94 participants have signed up, making it one of the largest parades the organization has hosted. The parade route has also expanded to nearly two miles, the longest route to date.
The event is open to the public and it is free to attend, and organizers expect at least 15,000 spectators to attend Saturday’s festivities. The parade is family- and pet-friendly, inviting both residents and visitors to line the beach and celebrate.
Barefoot Mardi Gras continues to prioritize community involvement in addition to being a fundraiser. For the 2025 parade, organizers introduced a discount savings pass, retail profit-sharing program and support for locally hosted Mardi Gras-themed events throughout the season. The goal was to boost business for the island restaurants, bars, and retailers considering this is the slowest time of the year due to less tourism. According to organizers, Barefoot Mardi Gras has developed into more than simply a parade and now serves as a seasonal motivator for the island community by fusing joy with economic effect.
