Mardi Gras Crawl Returns to El Cajon Blvd. with Festive Strolling Party on Feb. 23
SAN DIEGO – Get ready to “Let the Good Times Roll,” as the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association hosts its third annual Boulevard Mardi Gras Crawl in North Park on Sunday, Feb. 23. The travelling party, led by a festive New Orleans-style brass band, will include stops at a diverse mix of local businesses, with drink and food specials and other fun activities along the way.
Festivities will kick off at 12 p.m. in the parking lot for The Beer Igniter (3052 El Cajon Blvd.), where Folk Art Rare Records will be spinning and food and drinks will be available from Pariah Brewing, JuneShine (hard kombucha) and Shrimp Heads (Cajun seafood). Guests will be able to purchase Boulevard Tickets at this location to enjoy $2, $4 and $6 specials along the crawl route.
At 1:30 p.m., the Euphoria Brass Band will begin leading party guests down El Cajon Boulevard, making stops to explore local businesses such as Collins & Coupe (cocktail provisions), Café Madeline (French café), Medina Kitchen (Moroccan Baja restaurant), The Barn (local brewery), Gilly’s Bar and Tacos La Mexcla (Mexican food truck).
Around 3 p.m., revelers will arrive at the Crawl’s final destination, the historic Lafayette Hotel (2223 El Cajon Blvd.), where the party will continue with more live music, featuring Captain Morgan Lee, drinks and dancing until 5 p.m. Additional event details can be found on Facebook.
San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher (District 4) and California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (District 80) will serve as the event’s Grand Marshals.
Event sponsors include the Lafayette Hotel, Gator by Bay, Sailor Jerry, Hendrix Gin, Monkey Shoulder and Mr. Black Craft Distillers.
Attendees can take advantage of convenient transit to/from the event, with the Boulevard Bus Way, a new dedicated bus lane for Rapid 215, Route 1 and Route 6, with limited stops and quick access to top locations along El Cajon Boulevard.
“We have received a great response to this event over the last couple of years and we look forward to helping it grow and bringing more people out to explore to this exciting area on The Boulevard,” said Beryl Forman, marketing and mobility coordinator for the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association.
About the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association
Formed in 1988, the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association is an economic development agency comprised of over 1,000 local small businesses committed to improving the physical and economic conditions along the El Cajon Boulevard corridor and its surrounding neighborhoods in Mid-City San Diego. The district encompasses 60 blocks along El Cajon Boulevard, from Park Boulevard to 54thStreet, including the communities of University Heights, North Park, Normal Heights, Kensington, Talmadge and City Heights. More information is available at www.theboulevard.org.
