Mardi Gras festivities are scheduled to return to downtown Asheville on Sunday, February 15, 2026. The parade will affect several streets and parking in the area as residents gather for the event.
The lineup and float assembly begin at noon on Southside Avenue between Biltmore and Short Coxe Avenue. At 3:05 p.m., the parade will start at the south end of Coxe Avenue at its intersection with Southside Avenue. The route continues north on Coxe Avenue, then wraps along Buxton Avenue and Banks Avenue before exiting onto the north end of Coxe Avenue for disassembly.
Streets along the parade route will close to vehicle traffic starting at noon and are expected to reopen around 6:00 p.m. after cleanup is complete. The closures include Southside Ave. between Biltmore and Short Coxe Ave.; Coxe Ave. between Hilliard Ave. and Southside Ave.; Collier Ave. between Banks Ave. and Millard Ave.; S. Church & S. Lexington between Banks Ave. and Southside Ave.; Banks Ave.; Buxton Ave.; and Millard Ave.
All on-street parking along the parade route will be closed on Sunday, February 15, with towing enforced for violations. “The City’s NO PARKING signs will go up along the route on Friday as advance notice of the Sunday closure.” Those who park in private lots within the closed area should plan ahead, as vehicles cannot exit until after cleanup is finished.
City officials recommend planning ahead for parking needs. Nearby city parking garages include the Biltmore Avenue/Aloft Hotel garage at 60 S. Lexington Ave., and Sears Alley garage at 11 Sears Alley, both offering real-time availability information.
There are no anticipated impacts to ART transit services due to parade closures.
Asheville’s City Hall at 70 Court Plaza serves as the central hub for municipal operations, coordinating among departments such as Public Works, Water Resources, and Planning to manage community events like this one (https://www.ashevillenc.gov/). The city operates under a council-manager government structure with elected officials setting policy while a city manager oversees day-to-day operations (https://www.ashevillenc.gov/). Through initiatives like City Plans, Asheville engages in long-term planning aimed at sustainable growth and equitable development (https://www.ashevillenc.gov/).
