Marda Gras Calgary is a free, family-friendly street festival that brings the lively spirit of New Orleans to the heart of Marda Loop (Calgary neighborhood) every summer. Featuring live music, local vendors, street performances, and the beloved Marda Gras Pet Pageant, this annual event transforms the community into a vibrant celebration of culture, food, and entertainment. For over 40 years, this festival has been a staple in the Calgary community, and we were thrilled to be brought on in multiple aspects of their digital marketing.
From managing engaging social media campaigns to organizing exciting activations like the Marda Gras Pet Pageant, we brought the festival’s unique energy, local vendors, and entertainment to life in August.
Increase in Followers
Views on Instagram + TikTok
Impressions
Earned Media Placements
Services
Strategy
Public Relations
Social Media Management
Influencer Management
Content Creation
Our goal was to light up the Marda Gras social media pages with the same energy and joy that pulses through the bustling community of Marda Loop. Through organic social media content creation, community management, PR and media outreach, and even managing the fan-favourite Pet Pageant (complete with curated swag bags!), we infused every touchpoint with the fun, flair, and sense of community that defines the festival. We wanted every scroll through our feeds to feel like a bead toss: unexpected, joyful, a little cheeky - but always inviting our audience into the celebration.
Our approach was simple - infuse the fun festival vibe with the grassroots community efforts established by businesses who have been around just as long as Marda Gras. To bring our strategy to life, we brought a clean and consistent aesthetic to the grid, sent out multiple press releases to hundreds of media outlets, and strategically repurposed content from past festivals to tap into current trends and drive engagement. We also managed the full marketing aspect of the beloved Pet Pageant. This included recruiting a celebrity judge panel (featuring local influencers, radio personalities, and athletes), securing an emcee, and assembling custom swag bags. On the day of the festival our team was out in full force, managing the Pet Pageant participants, delivering the swag bags and winner prizing. Throughout the day, between our team members we captured over 20 hours of B-Roll + festival footage, while juggling community management of the social channels and posting about the festival in real-time. Marda Gras is a vibe, and our content made sure everyone could feel it, one scroll at a time.
