Wegmans set to celebrate Super Bowl, Mardi Gras

Wegmans, Rochester, N.Y., said it would be hosting in-store events to celebrate both the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras.

On Feb. 3, Wegmans’ Game Day Monster Party Bar will be stocked from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with party foods that include four kinds of chili, six flavors of chicken wings, fritters, pizza, potato skins and more. Wegmans also said it will have on hand Asian appetizers such as dumplings, egg rolls, pot-stickers, samosas and BBQ ribs, as well as Mardi Gras specialties such as chicken and sausage gumbo, bronzed chicken with creole sauce and five-grain chicken and sausage jambalaya.

Beginning on Sunday, Jan. 27, the bold flavors of Mardi Gras will be found through Wegmans stores, from the $6 meal station to the hot food bar, prepared soups station, pizza and sub stations, and catering department. The catering department’s Mardi Gras menu has the full list of authentic New Orleans specialties, including chicken and sausage gumbo, five-grain chicken and sausage jambalaya, muffaletta sandwich party tray sand more. Popular southern favorites such as cornbread, pulled pork sliders and braised collard greens also will be available.

This year’s Mardi Gras celebration will involve all Wegmans stores, the retailer noted, adding that the party won’t be easy to miss. The prepared food areas will include balloons, masks, beads, hats and decorations in traditional colors of green, purple and gold. And as shoppers walk by the catering department, they will her brass bands and sassy vocals coming straight from the streets of New Orleans.

“It makes you want to dance and have a good time, and that’s the point,” said Jim Schaeffer, Wegmans’ operations director for food preparation. “February is that time of year when you’re ready for a party. The holidays are past, life has settled down, and the weather isn’t inviting you outdoors yet. So I say, ‘Laissez les bons temps rouler!’ which means ‘let the good times roll!’”