Thursday night Mardi Gras krewes from across New Orleans met to discuss next year’s season, with the result being a clear message that no one knows if it will actually happen.
Mardi Gras Guide publisher Arthur Hardy says there’s not a lot of optimism right now about having large scale parades in the Crescent City, but even if the krewes don’t roll the season will live on.
“During the police strike of 1979 the parades either canceled or moved out of Orleans Parish and people still celebrated in their own ways, so you can’t cancel Mardi Gras but you can cancel parades,” says Hardy.
He also adds that funding for the creation of floats is up in the air as some krewes are having difficulty securing membership dues do to the uncertainty.
The heart of the season is set for early-mid February next year, but there’s no indication a vaccine will be widely available by then. Hardy says there have been some suggestions addressing that problem.
“We are talking about football in the spring but what about Mardi Gras and a ran the whole schedule from Easter Monday to the next two weeks,” says Hardy.
Fat Tuesday is February 16th in 2021.
While outdoor parades may be possible by then, Hardy says indoor Mardi Gras balls are looking increasingly less likely.
“Most of the black carnival organizations that don’t do parades but do do balls have already canceled theirs, as has at least one gay club and a couple of parading krewes have decided that we are not going to get involved this year,” says Hardy.
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