SoMardi Gras 2026!

SoMardi Gras VIP Pre-Party

Friday, February 20, 2026
6 – 9 p.m.

16th SoMardi Gras Parade and Street Festival

Saturday, February 21, 2026
10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

New Orleans-style parade at noon – Route 22nd to 12th on Main
Street festival with live music, dozens of small businesses, vendors, restaurants, food trucks and a kid zone!
13th Annual Beard and Mustache Contest

13th BEARD and Mustache CONTEST

🧔✨ What’s It About?
This event is all about celebrating creativity, self-expression, and the camaraderie of facial hair enthusiasts. Whether you’re competing or just cheering from the sidelines, it’s a day filled with community spirit and unforgettable moments.

📅 When: February 21st, 2026
📍 Where: The Bernice Garden

🏆 Categories:

  • Best Natural Beard Under 6”

  • Best Natural Beard Over 6”

  • Best Groomed Beard

  • Best Mustache

  • Most Original Beard

  • Best Partial Beard

  • Best DIY Crafted Beard (Women & Kids!)

Pre-register for the beard contest!

SoMardi Gras Hotel Block Available

Need a place to stay? Book your spot in our block of rooms at the AC Hotel Little Rock, and you’ll get two tickets to the pre-party included! It's the perfect way to stay close to all the action and start the weekend off with a bang.

 

Get Involved!

Coming Soon - Register as a Vendor

Showcase your products and join the fun! As a vendor at SoMardi Gras, you'll be part of a lively and energetic event, attracting a diverse crowd. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to connect with thousands of attendees.

Coming Soon - Register Your Float

Get creative and join the parade with a float that fits the disco theme! Whether it’s funky, fabulous, or funky fabulous, your float will be a standout feature of the parade, and a chance to showcase your team’s spirit.

Sponsor Now

Make a lasting impact and become a sponsor for SoMardi Gras 2026. Whether you're a small business or a big brand, sponsorship offers unique opportunities to engage with a dynamic audience while supporting a great cause.

Coming soon - Register as a Volunteer

Want to be part of the action? Volunteers are the heartbeat of SoMardi Gras.
Help us create a memorable experience for everyone. Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere while making a difference in the community.

2025 SPONSORS

Logo of The Root Cafe with an orange background, white text, and a white hand symbol, outlined in green.

PRESENTING SPONSORS

Logo of Downtown Little Rock Partnership featuring a stylized city skyline above the words "Downtown Little Rock Partnership" in dark blue text.
Logo of Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau dot com.
Logo of Main Street Arkansas featuring a colorful, geometric diamond shape.
Logo for Rock Town Distillery with black and red text on a white background

KID ZONE SPONSOR

Text logo that says "Science in Vivo" with stylized blue and yellow circular design elements.

12th Beard + Mustache Contest sponsor

Logo for Sport Clips, a hair salon specializing in men's haircuts.

t-shirt sponsor

Logo for Arkansas Circus Arts featuring silhouettes of two aerial performers inside a circular design

KING CAKE SPONSORS

Logo of the Carver Washington Magnet School with a blue panther mascot in the center, surrounded by text in red and blue.
Logo for Ben E. Keith Co. featuring a wheat symbol and vintage style text.
Republic Services logo with a red and white star surrounded by a red border, and the words 'REPUBLIC SERVICES' in white and blue text on a blue background.
Green bakery sign with white text reading: EST. 1947 Community Bakery.
Logo of Little Rock Public Radio with a red outline of the state of Arkansas, blue radio signal waves, and a red lightning bolt. Text reads 'Little Rock Public Radio' and 'A Service of UA Little Rock'.
Black background with a black and yellow logo that features a large yellow 'b' inside a yellow circle, with the text 'SINCE 1924' below it.
Red tote bag with white text reading 'ESSE'
Logo of AC Hotels by Marriott.
A black silhouette of a bird standing on a branch, with the words 'The Bernice Garden' written below in black text.