Returns Fat Tuesday 2025

6:30-9:00pm

Returns Fat Tuesday 2025

6:30-9:00pm

BOOK YOUR BABYSITTER NOW

The Play Professionals at Children’s Museum of Illinois reshape a portion of the museum into a slice of New Orleans, complete with the sights, sounds, and tastes from a night out on Bourbon Street. Enjoy authentically prepared food paired with a selection of beer and wine along with live music, games, raffles, and of course BEADS… all included in your ticket and all aged up appropriately for an adult crowd.

The hours may be “weeknight early” but the vibe is definitely late night!

BITES FROM THE BAYOU

Jeremy Morris and The Box – Decatur will return with more mouth-watering offerings for this year’s event. Joining last year’s returning Catfish Etoufee, Cajun Cornbread, and Gumbo (complete with vegetarian options) will be Red Beans & Rice and a Beignet Bar! Last year’s menu was talked about for weeks after–if you experienced it, you know. We can’t wait to experience it all again with new favorites waiting to be tasted!

BIG EASY BEVERAGES

Our top-notch selection of beers and wines, included in your ticket price, come from Famous Wine & Spirits. Lucky Singh and his team expertly pair the selection of beverages to the night’s menu. If you’re someone who enjoys learning more about why one beer/wine pairs better with something than an other, or about the spirits themselves, we’ll have one of the Famous fellas on hand to “talk shop.” We are, after all, an educational facility!

BITES FROM THE BAYOU

BIG EASY BEVERAGES

NOTES OUTTA N’AWLINS

The Sidewalk Stompers are a Traditional Jazz band that will be back with another ’round of their unique repertoire of rags, blues, and novelty tunes that date from the early 1900s. King Oliver’s New Orleans Creole Jazz Band (a young Louis Armstrong played 2nd cornet!) inspires their song arrangements and band instrumentation. They add a truly authentic soundtrack to your evening!