The New Orleans City Council today voted to protect a krewe's spot on the parade calendar if they decide they cannot roll in 2021.
"To be clear, this is not canceling Mardi Gras parades," said Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer. "This is simply a common sense protection that krewes may choose to avail themselves of, should it become untenable for their organizations to participate."
The council unanimously approved the change, allowing krewes that decide not to parade in 2021 to keep their seniority. A handful of krewes have announced they will be sitting out Mardi Gras 2021.
"As currently written, the Mardi Gras ordinance allows for 30 permits for the main parade routes to be issued per year, and gives seniority to those krewes that have consistently rolled," said Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer. "Choosing not to parade in 2021 threatens that seniority, and might lead to traditional participants losing out in 2022."
It was a possibility deemed by many to be unfair, given the circumstances of the pandemic.
"How could you possibly penalize a krewe that chose not to parade or didn't get the opportunity because of COVID?" questioned Mardi Gras Guide publisher Arthur Hardy. "This simply codifies it into law that any krewe that can't parade this year will not lose their spot in 2022."
Meanwhile, the mayor's Mardi Gras Advisory Council meets to discuss if and how parades can happen amid the pandemic. National public health leaders say there may be a vaccine by early 2021, but it would be months before one could be distributed to a large number of people.
"The COVID pandemic is a reality that we must all continue to confront together," said a statement from New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "We are working closely with our krewe captains and our community to determine what Carnival will look like at a time when our resources are stretched so thin and many of our traditions present dangers to public health. We expect to confirm additional details in the weeks ahead, and to celebrate Mardi Gras Day in a new way that reflects our new reality."
Fat Tuesday is February 16.