SAN DIEGO Gaslamp is a local, regional and national favorite festival to celebrate Fat Tuesday.

Mardi Gras includes various stages featuring live music performances, special guest appearances and the world's top Electronica, Dubstep and House DJs. Mardi Gras will feature a grand parade that travels straight down Fifth Avenue, as well as, multi-dimensional street performers that will entertain on over 16 blocks throughout the Gaslamp Quarter. Cutting edge lighting, sound and visuals will enhance the venue as they draw Mardi Gras.

SAN DIEGO, CALIF.--Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego has a Fat Tuesday celebration that some think is better than New Orleans Mardi Gras. San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter Mardi Gras is an anticipated, annual celebration that some who have traveled to Louisiana for the Big One actually prefer. Why?

The answer lies in Latin sizzle, adults-only, near-Mexico border partying state of mind. San Diego features supreme weather (some of the best in the world) and the world famous California girls who are stunningly clad in colorful costumes, just for show. One of the city's hottest celebrations of the year is mostly one big party in the streets of the historic district of San Diego once, serving as a redlight district with prostitution and illegal activities. Today it is a trendy, tourist attraction with fantastic restaurants, nightclubs and entertainment. Special events throughout the year are hosted in Gaslamp Quarter, which is able to close off the streets and charge admission to events for the 21+ crowd. Another event hosted just weeks after Mardi Gras is St. Patrick's Festival.

Mardi Gras celebrations & Fat Tuesday -- Intersection of one of the thirteen full moons with the calendar's twelve months is the factor which adds the greatest variation to the Carnival season. Fat Tuesday is not the same from year to year. Fat Tuesday and Lent Wednesday are tied to Easter celebrations, that can fall on any Sunday from March 23 to April 25. It falls on the first Sunday succeeding the first full moon after the Spring Equinox.

Gaslamp Mardi Gras draws well over 40,000 revelers into the streets. This highly anticipated event will take over 16 blocks of the Gaslamp Quarter and feature five stages of world-renowned DJs, bands, entertainment and one outrageous parade down Fifth Avenue. Proceeds usually go to the Gaslamp Quarter Association, the 501(c)6 non-profit trade organization that protects and promotes the Gaslamp Quarter as a National Historic District and San Diego 's premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination.

San Diego is the Festival Capital of California (or one of them, at least.)

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.