New Orleans Also Accepting Visitors For Annual Celebration In 2021
Posted Nov. 17, 2020
The city of New Orleans has canceled its 2021 Mardi Gras parades but it will not close Bourbon Street or try and keep tourists away from visiting during the celebration.
“Bourbon Street and Frenchman Street entertainment Districts are open, but subject to Local and State COVID Guidelines at all times,” is a statement on the the mayor office website. “Capacity and hours can be subject to change.
“It is highly recommended that time in the city’s entertainment districts be limited and social distancing observed with mask wearing.”
It also stated that New Orleans will remain open to tourism in this post:
“This City of New Orleans is always open for business. However, all visitors must adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines which include wearing a mask in public and maintaining strict 6ft or more social distancing.”
With Fat Tuesday falling early that year, Feb. 16, at least a month before a vaccine is widely available nationwide, Mayor LaToya Cantrell called off the parades, calling them “super spreaders” because of all the people that line the streets four and five deep, then rush the floats to get beads thrown to them.
“Parades of any kind will not be permitted this year because large gatherings have proven to be super spreader events of the COVID-19 virus,” is the statement posted on the mayor’s website.
All but one of the Mardi Gras parades take place outside of Bourbon Street and the French Quarter. They traditionally take place with several per night during two weekends building up to Fat Tuesday.
Knowing, of course, the city can’t actually cancel Mardi Gras itself, it also posted this statement:
“The City of New Orleans cannot cancel Mardi Gras because it is a religious Holiday, however we will not be able to celebrate the Holiday this year as we have in the past.”
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