NEW ORLEANS — If the amount of trash cleaned up Wednesday morning is any indication, Mardi Gras in New Orleans was a big-time success. For the city’s tourism economy, it might be one of the biggest.
“It’s fun to see all the tents and tarps just line the avenue,” said associate vice president of communications at New Orleans & Company Mary Beth Romig. “The crowds they just pour into the street, dancing, having a great time.”
Romig says good weather and parades back on traditional routes helped draw in massive crowds through Mardi Gras weekend.
“All and all, I think people are just really loving that Mardi Gras is back, a lot like after we were after Katrina when everybody was coming back to New Orleans and we reembraced our own city. It’s that scene after the pandemic had shut things down,” Romig said.
City leaders say the number of people reveling across the city was a welcomed sight.
“I think this city saw Mardi Gras at a time that we haven’t seen in over a decade plus,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said.
From uptown to the Marigny, the spirit of Mardi Gras paraded through the streets in a community beaded together in purple, green, and gold.
“This is my spirit city; I’ve got to be back here for Mardi Gras,” said Menaka Phillips who once lived in the city but now lives in Canada. “That’s what's awesome about New Orleans. They hang out together. They have fun together. They laugh together. They drink together and it’s what keeps the city alive, there’s no other place like it.
There were some hiccups along the way. A tree limb knocked the jester's head off a float, a confetti cannon knocked out power to thousands, a rider fell off a float, and another float caught on fire. Those were minor problems.
“We have a lot to be proud of in the city of New Orleans, being able to pull off Mardi Grass 2023,” Cantrell said.
It took officers from outside agencies working with the NOPD to make it happen, but celebrations didn’t come without tragedy. Two separate shootings near parade routes left a 15-year-old boy and a 50-year-old woman dead. The NOPD reports 157 illegal guns were taken off the streets.
“Our priority was to keep our residents and our visitors safe as they enjoyed the Mardi Gras festivities,” said interim police superintendent Michelle Woodfork.
Beads and streamers hanging from trees along St. Charles Avenue are reminders of those festivities, as the city resets and plans for next year’s celebration.
“A happy city is a great city for sure,” Romig said.
New Orleans & Company is working on a study to measure the economic impact this Mardi Gras had on the city. That hasn't been done in a while. The organization hopes to release those numbers as quickly as possible.
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