ACWORTH – The all-day Mardi Gras party at Henry’s Louisiana Grill in Acworth has been an annual event at the restaurant since it was opened in 2000 by Cajun native William Henry Chandler III.

All of the servers, along with restaurant patrons, were invited to dress up in Mardi Gras garb, and prizes were awarded to “best costume” winners in the downstairs dining room and upstairs in the 21-and-older party Tuesday night.

“What we are really trying to do is capture that celebration culture,” said General Manager Justin Williams. “We’ve been rocking since 11 a.m.!”

They also served traditional Louisiana meals for the lunch and dinner crowds, including Boudin balls and dirty rice, and invited a Zydeco band, Delta Moon, to perform upstairs, ringing the Mardi Gras festivities into the wee hours of the night.

“We have live music, a costume contest, giveaways and King Cake for everyone,” he said.

Mardi Gras, which means “Fat Tuesday” in French, is the day before Ash Wednesday each year and refers to the last night of indulgence before Lent.