It’s Mardi Gras season around Louisiana right now. While New Orleans may get the bulk of attention when it comes to parades, there’s plenty of action to find on the Northshore as well. Katie Guasco is Chief Marketing Officer of Visit the Northshore and emphasizes that crowds still abound at the parades in that area as well.
"It has truly grown. There are now more than 25 parades on the Northshore. From festivities on Twelfth Night all the way to a really spectacular Mardi Gras Day in Covington and Slidell. No matter where you are in the parish, you're feeling the Mardi Gras spirit for sure," she points out.
Guasco notes that the surrounding areas around New Orleans have done a great job of creating a safe, family-friendly atmosphere for parade-goers. "We have rural towns like Bush, Folsom, Lacombe, Abita Springs ... they all celebrate Mardi Gras in a small town way," she notes. Guasco says that an influx of new residents to these smaller towns after Hurricane Katrina has led to the growth of these parades.
The Krewe of Selene will be taking place in Slidell on Friday the 13th, featuring an all-female crew. It will roll down Ponchartrain Blvd, down Front Street, and down Gauze Blvd. There will also be a big Mardi Gras Day celebration in downtown Covington for enthusiasts of Carnival season to take part in. Guasco says that the parade has grown tremendously in recent years,
The economic impact of Mardi Gras can be felt across the region; not just in the New Orleans area, Guasco emphasizes. She says local businesses look forward to the influx of visitors at this time each year and are excited about the continued uptick in attendance they've seen continuing into the future.