Everything You Need to Know for the Fat Tuesday Festivities

This Fat Tuesday marks Dunedin's legendary Mardi Gras Parade and street festival on Main Street. You may be asking yourself, "Self, where should I park?," "How will I get home if I have over-indudged?," or "What should I bring?" (Pets are not on the list.) We've got the answers to those questions (and more) in our handy dandy guide to Fat Tuesday.

When to get there:

The street festival begins at 5 p.m. and runs until 11 p.m. Main Street is closed from Louden Avenue to Broadway. The parade kicks off in front of at 7:30 p.m. The parade route runs north and ends at Skinner Boulevard.

Bring:

• Cash
• Identification
• Blankets (for Pioneer Park)
• Plastic Bottles

Don’t Bring:

• Pets
• Coolers
• Glass Bottles

Parking:

Parking can be found on all side streets along the parade route. Follow posted street signs for the proper parking methods.

Parking for the street festival can be found at public lots around the downtown area, including the large public parking lot at the corner of Virginia Street and Louden Avenue.

Transportation:

• A&M Taxi Pinellas; 727-678-8556

• Affordable Taxi; 727-733-3333

• Clearwater Yellow Cab; 727-799-2222

• United Taxi; 727-535-0000

Entertainment:

Swamp Logic kicks off the night in , playing from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Curley Taylor plays from 8 to 11 p.m.

What to do after the parade?

• Dunedin Brewery: Swamp Logic plays again after playing the Mardi Gras main stage.
• Dunedin Smokehouse: Rockabilly Mardi Gras With the Dive Bar Stalkers.
• Dunedin House of Beer: The HOB welcomes Full Fledged Unit for a full set of music during and after the parade.
• : The Jim Morey Band serves up New Orleans-style jazz sets at the bar.

ATM Machines:

• Blur Nightclub, 325 Main St. 
• Boxcar Cafe and Giftshop, 349 Main St.
• Quick Nicks, 840 Broadway 
• Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave.
• SunTrust Bank, 825 Broadway (727) 736-7215

Other Dining Options:

Vendors will be along the parade route and the downtown street festival, but here’s a list of restaurants in Dunedin offering specials as listed on the Dunedin Mardi Gras website:

• 325 Main St.; 727-734-9226

• , 319 Main St.; 727-736-5284

• , 487 Main St.; 727-736-5202

• , 465 Main St.; 727-736-4994

• , 344 Main St.; 727-736-4299

• , 371 Main St.; 727-734-9151

• , 461 Main St.; 727-734-4205

• , 937 Douglas Ave.; 727-736-0606

Where to stay:

• , 150 Marina Plaza; 727-733-4121

• , 975 Broadway St.; 727-450-1200

• Comfort Suites Clearwater, 1941 Edgewater Drive; 727-489-5000

• 1420 Bayshore Blvd.; 727-734-8851

• , 1064 Broadway; 727-736-4657

• , 2090 Bayshore Blvd.; 727-736-0594

• , 1035 Broadway; 727-733-3228

• Meranova Guest Inn, 458 Virginia Lane, No. 8; 727-733-9248