NEW ORLEANS — Bourbon Street is always packed with costumed revelers on Mardi Gras Day, but this year it is a quiet, empty street with very little activity.
Mardi Gras 2021 will go down in history as the calmest Fat Tuesday on Bourbon Street.
"We're here to enjoy ourselves as much as we can," said New Orleanian Gabriel Gordon who witnesses a very lively Mardi Gras every year, until now. "Night and day."
Bars are closed, there are no to-go drink sales, and barricades with NOPD are keeping people from walking Bourbon Street.
I see a heavily policed area," Gordon said.
Some of the crowd seemed to shift to Royal Street where police showed up to disperse the group
Years past prove you never know what to expect or what you'll witness on Bourbon on Fat Tuesday, but locals we spoke with say this is the strangest sight to them.
"Typically we will go to the parade on St. Ann and Bourbon and just walk the streets and see all the awesome costumes and express the energy, this is kind of weird," said Ken Laprairie, French Quarter resident.
Some still sported their purple, green, and gold staying festive even if spending most of the chilly day at home.
"I am going to put on a costume," Laprairie said.
"I was born and raised in New Orleans so I was always told to try and enjoy myself no matter where I am," Gordon said.
Some visitors from Ohio won a non-refundable trip to New Orleans so decided to come even with the restrictions in place.
"We thought we’d see Mardi Gras or some version of it, but that’s not the case but its still fun," said Christina Cummings.
Many are hoping to go big for Mardi Gras 2022, as long as conditions allow for it.
"I think it's going to be out of control, people are going to be busting out of the seams, coming from all over the world to experience and help New Orleans come back.
