Mysti Krewe of Nimbus returns to North Portland with Mardi Gras parade and Wonder Ballroom ball
A winter tradition with a neighborhood footprint
The Mysti Krewe of Nimbus, the organization behind Portland’s annual Mardi Gras celebrations, has scheduled two marquee events in February: a 21-and-over Mardi Gras Ball at the Wonder Ballroom on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, and a free, family-friendly Mardi Gras night parade on North Mississippi Avenue on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
In recent years, the krewe’s signature parade has been staged as a community procession on Mississippi Avenue, drawing costumed participants, marching bands and spectators for an evening event timed to Mardi Gras Day.
What’s planned for Feb. 17: route, timing, and format
The 2026 Portland Mardi Gras Parade is set to step off at 7 p.m. and run along North Mississippi Avenue. Organizers describe the parade as an all-ages, walkable neighborhood event featuring illuminated costumes and a “Second Line” tradition that allows community members to follow behind the procession after it begins moving.
The parade format is presented as non-motorized and oriented toward performance groups and community “krewes,” with emphasis on lights, costumes and handheld parade elements.
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 (Mardi Gras Day)
- Start time: 7:00 p.m.
- Location: North Mississippi Avenue, Portland
- Public access: Free, family-friendly street event
Ball on Feb. 14: venue details and programming
The 2026 Portland Mardi Gras Ball is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Wonder Ballroom, with doors and show timing listed for a 7 p.m. start and an age restriction of 21 and over. Event materials describe a night built around live Cajun/Zydeco and soul-oriented performances, Louisiana-style food offerings, and traditional Mardi Gras features such as a costume contest and king cake.
When February nights feel dark and gray, the Wonder Ballroom transforms into a themed Mardi Gras event featuring live music, food, and costuming.
Continuity from prior years
Public event listings and organizational announcements show the Portland Mardi Gras Parade has been staged on North Mississippi Avenue in prior years, including the 2025 edition held on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. That year’s parade was described as an all-ages neighborhood march with bands, entertainers, art and costumes, and included organized meet-up details for participating groups.
What attendees should know
As with most large neighborhood street events, attendees can expect crowds along the route and intermittent traffic impacts in the immediate area around the parade window. Organizers have promoted costumes and lighting as central to the night-parade experience, and have positioned the event as accessible to families as well as organized groups participating in the procession.