Universal Orlando Announces 2014 Mardi Gras Concert Lineup

Spring brings a colorful, family-friendly version of Mardi Gras to Universal Studios Florida. Booths set up in the "French Quarter" section of the park offer Cajun cuisine, and Universal brings bands from New Orleans to entertain. And then there's the parade, where there are plenty of beads to be caught and some fabulous floats designed by Blaine Kern Artists - the same firm that builds the most famous New Orleans Mardi Gras floats. This year, there are three new floats that are themed around Jules Vernes' "Around the World in Eighty Days."

And then, there are the concerts on the Universal Music Plaza. Universal Orlando always gets a diverse lineup and some big names, and this year is no different! Country, R&B, classic rock, Latin - no matter what kind of music you like, there's a night you should be at Mardi Gras. Robin Thicke - who had THE song of the summer last year with "Blurred Lines" - jumped out to me as one of the biggest names coming to Mardi Gras this year. Have I mentioned yet that the concerts, the parade and the Mardi Gras fun is all FREE with your Universal Studios Florida ticket? Where else could you see Robin Thicke for free!?

Mardi Gras runs Feb. 8 through May 31 on select nights. Here's a look at the concert lineup:

• Feb. 8: Daughtry
• Feb. 15: Barenaked Ladies
• Feb. 16: Thomas Rhett
• March 1: Collective Soul
• March 8: Prince Royce
• March 14: Cody Simpson
• March 15: Foreigner
• March 21: A Great Big World
• March 22: Gavin DeGraw
• March 28: Kelly Rowland
• March 29: Weezer
• April 5: Skillet
• April 12: Lynyrd Skynyrd
• April 19: Kool & The Gang
• May 3: Nelly
• May 10: The Wanted
• May 17: The Roots
• May 24: Cher Lloyd
• May 31: Huey Lewis and the News
• June 7: Robin Thicke

For more information and a full concert listing, visit www.universalorlando.com/mardigras.