For those who thought rain had washed away all chances of Mardi Gras merriment, the NOPD has good news. According to an announcement on their official news site, the postponed truck parades and the Krewe of Barkus now have a clear sky to roll under this Sunday, March 9.
The schedule is tight but the community is set to quickly gather. The ELKS Krewe of Orleanians and the Krewe of Crescent City trucks will congregate at 8:00 a.m. at Tchoupitoulas Street and Napoleon Avenue, readying to resolutely roll at 9:00 a.m. The processions will follow each other in a celebration cut short but not cut out. NOPD has confirmed the presence of law enforcement along the revised route which will see floats and revelers turn from Tchoupitoulas Street to Saint Charles Avenue, then to Louisiana Avenue, ultimately disbanding at Toledano Street and South Claiborne Avenue.
In line with sanitation efforts, participants have been instructed to hold their throws until they are on the official route. As stated on the NOPD news release, "the NOPD is mandating that, for sanitation purposes, members riding in these krewes do not throw any beads prior to the start of the route at Tchoupitoulas Street nor at the end of the route at the intersection of Toledano Street and South Claiborne Avenue." This measure aims to ease the post-parade cleanup that often leaves streets in need of serious attention.
The dog-centric Krewe of Barkus isn't being left behind, as they are set to barkingly parade at 2:00 p.m. alongside their humans in the French Quarter. This event will be staffed in coordination through the Office of Police Secondary Employment, a move meant to ensure security without compromising on the joy the smaller, furrier parade brings.
With these updates, the City of New Orleans invites everyone to come out and celebrate Mardi Gras, showing that even a storm can't dampen spirits for long. For more details on the rescheduled events or route maps, citizens can visit NOPD's news release or keep an eye out for local updates.
