NEW ORLEANS — Every year Carnival season brings beads, parades, and lots and lots of fun. But City leaders also want it to be safe.
"All of these things just make Carnival safer and more fun for the people who are watching it", said Lesli Harris, Councilmember District B.
On Tuesday, the New Orleans Carnival Advisory Committee met as they worked to figure out how to make Carnival better for everyone — especially with Mardi Gras 2025 landing in about three weeks after we host the Super Bowl.
While it might be some of the best times in the city, they said some concerns need to be addressed, like the oh-so-popular confetti canons. Mylar cannons were already banned, but they realized it's not just the mylar ones causing issues.
"Any confetti hitting the line will blow the transformer so we are banning confetti cannons, full stop. You cannot have any that shoots paper or mylar on the parade route," Harris said.
Another hot topic — furniture on the parade routes.
"We want everyone to have fun at Mardi Gras. But what we don't want our people unable to see Mardi Gras and carnival because of stands that are improperly erected," Harris explained. "We don't want people to have porta potties on the neutral ground."
They said remnants of porta potties are often left for the city to clean up, but they do want bands and float riders to have access to some type of bathroom.
Plus now, bands included in parades minimum count that may have to be at least 30 people deep and there may be extra protections put in place for horses.
But not all concerns were addressed Tuesday, especially those held by truck parades.
"We are starting the parade at 3 or 4 in the evening we are finishing in the dark these trailers do not have lights they have humans on board and children on board they are being put on the street in an unsafe spot because the people ahead of us can’t get moving," she said.
Council members said they want to work to make sure everyone has a good time — and part of that included enforcing these expected changes.
"We also need to make sure that our Department of Parks and Parkways that sanitation are supported by NOPD. So people really get the message that these are laws that will be enforced," Harris said.
They said all so we can let the good times roll — safely.
These recommendations will now head to the full City Council, and they're expected to vote on them in July.
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