New Orleans gets creative with Mardi Gras celebrations in 2021

The New Orleans Carnival season kicked off in early January, and the city-wide party looks a whole lot different than it has in years past. From creative, socially-distant takes on festival traditions to virtual events galore, here’s how the Crescent City is handling its signature celebration.

In a normal year, an estimated million-plus people participate in the New Orleans’s Carnival action, and though this year’s visitor estimates are still up in the air, it’s hard to imagine the hordes descending on the city in similar numbers in the midst of the pandemic. Mardi Gras parades have been canceled due to COVID-19, masks are required in public across the state, and New Orleans is operating under restrictions – no gatherings of any kind outside of your household, outdoors or in.

The city of New Orleans has issued a number of rules that will take effect on Friday, February 12 until Mardi Gras Day on February 16. All bars will be closed indoor and outdoor across the city, the sale of to-go drinks is banned, and there will be no package liquor sales in the French Quarter. Bourbon Street, Decatur Street and Frenchmen Street will be closed to pedestrians and vehicles from 7 pm to 3 am and there will be no loitering on Bourbon Street.

Modified festivities are still taking place, but when the King of Carnival issued his annual proclamation at the start of the season, as he’s done since 1872, he made sure to acknowledge the unusual circumstances surrounding the 2021 festivities. “We are Saddened, and send our Deepest Condolences to All who have suffered Loss, and encourage All to follow the Guidance of Those who seek to keep Our Subjects Safe, that We might Celebrate Again Together,” the edict reads. “We trust, in Our Absence, that Our Subjects will find ways to Safely Celebrate the Joys of this Carnival Season, Preserving our Traditions in Anticipation of Their Joyous Renewal in 2022.”

Without parades, the party could have ground to a halt, but several krewes have come up with clever ways to pay homage to tradition while keeping the crowds at bay. Instead of tossing their throws – the beads and other collectible trinkets launched from the parade’s floats – in person, the Krewe of Bacchus has launched a Mardi Gras app that lets spectators join a mini-parade and catch them virtually, while the Funky Uptown Krewe hosted a scavenger hunt along the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line for theirs, transmitting clues via a dedicated Instagram feed.

But perhaps the most inventive approach comes courtesy of the Krewe of House Floats, a new krewe some 7500 members strong that’s decorating homes to resemble parade floats. The concept was born on social media and quickly spread, with dozens of neighborhood sub-krewes springing up throughout the region and beyond; there’s even one for expats outside of the city limits. A map of the participating locations is available, “creating an opportunity for spectators to drive on by and remain safe from others” on their own personalized parade route, krewe creator and New Orleans resident Megan Boudreaux said in a press release.

Virtually, there’s plenty going on as well: In the build-up to Mardi Gras day on February 16, the New Orleans School of Cooking is hosting two sold-out king-cake baking classes via Zoom, and the legendary Commander’s Palace is going online as well, with a wine and cheese party – a Mardi Gras “extravaganza” – featuring a curated selection of refreshments that ships to your door when you RSVP. Parkway’s famous roast beef po’boys are even on Goldbelly. For more information, visit neworleans.com.

This article was originally published on January 27, 2021 and updated on February 9, 2021.

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