December 6th marks Twelfth Night, ushering in the official end of the holiday season … and when the region turns its collective attention toward Mardi Gras. While the recent terror attack has cast a pall over the new year, Arthur Hardy, founder of the Mardi Gras Guide, said all indications are that crowds are expected to be typically heavy this year. “It’s a late Mardi Gras and that’s typically great for crowds and weather. It also gives us a lot of time to gain momentum,” Hardy notes.
He is also quick to add that the Super Bowl being held in the Crescent City has taken some of the focus off of the usual ramp-up to carnival season. “There’s so much attention right now on the Super Bowl. I hate to call it a distraction, because it’s a wonderful blessing for our community, but it has definitely gotten in the way of some of the normal Mardi Gras conversations,” adds Hardy.
That said, many in Louisiana are eager to turn the page and celebrate some sense of normalcy. Mardi Gras and the surrounding events offer a welcome change of pace in the new year.
In the light of the recent, tragic attack in New Orleans, it’s understandable that many are uneasy about public events.
Hardy emphasizes that Mardi Gras is already one of the most highly secure events in the nation and major tweaks aren’t needed to carry on parades as usual. “Mardi Gras is already rated by Homeland Security as the second highest risk event in the nation beyond Super Bowls and inaugurations. So, while they may ratchet up safety measures a bit, they already keep things highly secure here,” Hardy adds.
He does expect security to be a fluid situation as different measures are taken, but has the utmost faith in the training and security of the NOPD and everyone else in place here in New Orleans to make sure carnival season goes off without a hitch. "I don't anticipate any visible changes that we'll see this upcoming season," adds Hardy.