New Orleans' Bourbon Street comes to Vail's Bridge Street March 6-11

CarniVail culminates with free Buckwheat Zydeco show

Louisiana's Buckwheat Zydeco will take the stage for a free concert in Vail Village on Friday, March 11 at 6 p.m. to close out the CarniVail celebrati

Vail gets hit with a spicy taste of New-Orleans-style fun when CarniVail returns to town March 6-11. Guests will enjoy a week's worth of Mardi Gras merriment and all the Cajun fixin's from a crawfish boil to the Fat Tuesday Parade, complete with plenty of beads.

CarniVail kicks off Sunday, March 6 on Vail Mountain with the World's Highest Low-Country Crawfish Boil at Eagle's Nest from noon to 2:30 p.m. The annual Crawfish Boil will feature Cajun and Creole cuisine like crawfish etouffee, gumbo, king cake and specialty drinks from Grand Marnier. The celebration is also set to include live music from Jonny Mogambo, plenty of complimentary Mardi Gras beads and expos from event sponsors like Muscle Milk, Maui Jim and Rockstar.

“The Crawfish Boil at Eagle's Nest is our traditional kick-off to Mardi Gras and the CarniVail celebration,” said Adam Sutner, director of sales and marketing for Vail Mountain. “The event provides our guests with the opportunity to get into the CarniVail spirit by enjoying a wide variety of Cajun and Creole fare in an atmosphere where it wouldn't typically be found – above 10,000 feet.”

The CarniVail celebration continues at on Tuesday, March 8 in Vail Village with the legendary Fat Tuesday Parade and Bud Light Street Party. The Fat Tuesday Parade, traveling from East Meadow Drive near Vail Road to Seibert Circle in Vail Village, will get going promptly at 4 p.m. and will conclude with the official crowning of the CarniVail King and Queen and the announcement of the float competition winners. New Orleans-influenced jam-band Frogs Gone Fishin' will perform at Checkpoint Charlie following the parade.

Registration is now open for parade floats, and those interested in participating can get the registration form at vail.com/carnivail or by contacting Kelly Paton at Highline Sports & Entertainment at 970-476-6797 x111. There is no cost to participate in the Fat Tuesday Parade. Prizes will be given to the top three floats at the 2011 Fat Tuesday Parade, with the first place float taking home $1,000 in cash and the second and third place floats taking home non-cash prizes like a gift card from Blue Moose Pizza.

To close out the week of CarniVail festivities, Mardi Gras favorites Buckwheat Zydeco will perform a free, outdoor concert presented by Grand Marnier at Solaris in Vail Village on Friday, March 11. Hailing from Lafayette, La. and led by musical legend Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural Jr., Buckwheat Zydeco is the preeminent ambassador of Louisiana zydeco music. The New York Times has said they are one of the best bands in America, and their show is sure to have guests of all ages boogieing to the Buckwheat beat. The gates for this Creole dance party open at 6 p.m.

For more information on CarniVail, including a complete schedule of events, visit vail.com/carnivail.

CarniVail is yours thanks to Vail Mountain, Bud Light, SoBe Lifewater, Grand Marnier, Town of Vail, Maui Jim and SKI Magazine and is sponsored in part by the Ray Festa Melanoma Foundation, Vail Daily, TV8 and KZYR-The Zephyr.

CarniVail Event Schedule
Sunday, March 6, 2011
12-2:30 p.m. World's Highest Low-Country Crawfish Boil at Eagle's Nest on Vail Mountain with live music from Jonny Mogambo

Tuesday, March 8, 2011
3 p.m. Bud Light Street Party in Vail Village
Including the Fat Tuesday Parade at 4 p.m. followed by a FREE concert from Frogs Gone Fishin' at Checkpoint Charlie

Friday, March 11, 2011
6 p.m. Street Party at Solaris in Vail Village
Including a FREE concert from Buckwheat Zydeco presented by Grand Marnier