NEW ORLEANS — Mardi Gras is "on track" to return in 2022, but there may be route changes.
To put less strain on New Orleans' first responders, the City is considering having all parades roll on a shortened Uptown parade route.
City Communications Director Beau Tidwell said those conversations are still in the "early stages," though.
"No decisions have been made," Tidwell said. "We will remain in close contact with our krewe captains, and we invite their input. As we have said: we have concerns regarding the bandwidth and capacity of our first-responders, who have been under intense strain throughout the pandemic. When Mardi Gras comes back, we want to do it in the safest way possible: in terms of public health and in terms of public safety.”
The route changes would put every parade on the Uptown route, lining up on Napoleon and rolling down St. Charles to the French Quarter. That would pull Zulu Off of Jackson Avenue and likely move Endymion out of Mid-City.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell first mentioned the idea Wednesday afternoon.
"It's about a public safety team, it's about having the necessary resources on the ground," Cantrell said.
Krewe of Boo, New Orleans' first major parade in nearly two years, will roll this Saturday. City leaders will be watching closely to see how the parade goes and it's impact on COVID spread within our community.
It's expected to be one of the major factors on if Mardi Gras 2022 will happen at all.
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