7 Tips For A Safe And Happy Mardi Gras
NEW ORLEANS -- The City of New Orleans stands prepared to make this Carnival season the most enjoyable in memory, for residents and visitors alike. We want a fun, healthy and safe festival for all involved. We also recognize the need to utilize all of our public safety, transportation, health and cultural resources to make this happen, as well as the cooperation and understanding of all we serve. We are truly all in this together. To keep everyone fully engaged and aware, we’ve prepared our own list of tips and recommendations for you to read and share with your friends and family.
Watch today's press conference hosted by Mayor LaToya Cantrell and featuring our public and health safety officials.
For a comprehensive breakdown of the Carnival season visit NOLA Ready’s Mardi Gras page.
1) It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Too often visitors and even residents think Mardi Gras is simply an excuse to over-indulge. But while the city embraces its “Laissez les bons temps rouler” credo, there’s no reason not to have fun responsibly and with a nod toward health and safety. That includes everything from knowing when to stop drinking alcohol, staying hydrated with lots of water and avoiding illicit drugs to maintaining a heightened sense of caution and awareness. It also means practicing safety measures such as staying with crowds, minding your children, and being aware of your surroundings.
2) Play it safe
There are lots of simple measures to take to ensure a safe Carnival season, including the importance of keeping track of your group, being aware of your surroundings, and remembering to enjoy parades in the safest way possible. Also, identify and remember locations for First Aid stations and “Lost Child Stations” that are situated along the parade routes.
Learn more about best safety practices here.
3) Know when, where and how to go
Recognizing alternative transportation options – whether biking, riding, walking or car-pooling – and planning ahead for street closures helps facilitate more efficient and effective access to parades and other gathering centers for fun and festivities – without getting jammed up in traffic, lost, or suffering accidents. It’s also helpful to be aware of when and where to park to avoid being ticketed or towed.
Learn more about transportation options here.
4) Stay connected to stay informed 24/7
Everyone has their parade tracker; the City of New Orleans has one, too: RouteWise. Here you can find a list of ALL upcoming events (parades, marathons, etc.) that you may want to know about. If an event is tracked by NOPD (with GPS devices), you’ll see the start and end shown on the map when you select the tracked event. Large parades and marathons are generally tracked. (Second lines and 5Ks are generally not.) You can also view the public toilets put in place for events, any first-aid stations that may be open during the event, and lost child pickup locations.
Learn more by visiting RouteWise here.
5) Avoid any and all kinds of fireworks, and firearms
The use of fireworks is illegal in Orleans Parish. The NOPD and our public safety partners will be on the job to keep everyone safe. Everyone is reminded in the strongest possible terms to leave guns at home. Don’t bring them to the parade. Make safe decisions. Public safety is a top priority, but it takes all of us working together.
6) Avoid getting towed. It’s the worst.
Parking is a common difficulty when it comes to Mardi Gras, hence the constant recommendations to seek alternative transportation options. But if/when parking becomes a necessity, after finding a spot the next concern becomes NOT getting a parking ticket. Always, always be mindful of and respect parking restrictions. That said, here are some helpful phone numbers to keep:
- Department of Public Works parking enforcement and information, (504) 658-8100 (answered 24 hours)
- Residential Parking Permits information, (504) 658-8200
- Release of boot, (504) 599-5652
- Information on Ticket/Tow Appeals Hearings, (504) 658-8250
7) Get in gear
Remembering how to manage and carry equipment makes for a less burdensome Carnival season. That’s why it’s important to know what to do and especially what NOT to do. For example, tempting though it might be, do not rope off areas of the neutral ground, public sidewalks, or other public property. It is prohibited by law. Also, all ladders must be structurally sound, and must be placed at least six feet back from the street curb.
And then there are the beads: Clean up your area before you leave! In 2018, 46 tons of Mardi Gras beads were cleaned out of the city's storm drains. This year, “gutter buddies” – barriers that block solid objects from entering drains – will be installed along the parade route. But, you can also do your part to keep trash off of the streets and out of the drainage system. Clean up your area before you leave, deposit trash in public receptacles, or carry your trash with you to dispose of later.
Learn more about what to bring and what to do with it here.
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