Key Takeaways
- Mardi Gras 2021 adapted to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions by canceling traditional parades, street drinking, bead throwing, and crowded street celebrations throughout New Orleans.
- New Orleans residents created Mardi Gras float houses throughout city, transforming entire homes into elaborate parade floats to maintain celebration spirit during pandemic restrictions.
- Mayor vowed Mardi Gras 2021 would be different, New Orleanians responded creatively by decorating houses as floats, maintaining tradition despite traditional parade cancellations citywide.
To say that Mardi Gras has and will be different this year is definitely an understatement. With Covid-19 taking the world by storm last year, it has left many of us the challenge of finding new ways to celebrate the things we hold dear. Mardi Gras, as you know, is one of New Orleans’ most famed traditions and week-long events that people from all of the country flock to be a part of. So we can’t have the parades, the bread throwing, the intense rivalry for who will catch a shoe during the Muses parade, or the blatant street drinking, but even that hasn’t been enough to deter New Orleanians. This year, the mayor vowed that Mardi Gras would be different, and the people of NOLA did not disappoint! In keeping with the spirit of Mardi Gras, several float houses have been popping up all over New Orleans. After all, who needs a parade float, when you can turn your whole house into a float!
See map or visit link below for where you can still enjoy the spirit of Mardi Gras, just in a “different” way!
Trying to find those fabulous Mardi Gras float houses? We’ve got a map for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers about the historic 2021 Carnival season, including house float locations and social distancing guidelines for visitors.
How was Mardi Gras celebrated in 2021 without parades?
Mardi Gras 2021 was celebrated through the “Krewe of House Floats” movement, where residents transformed their homes into stationary parade floats. Professional float artists and DIY decorators adorned thousands of porches across New Orleans, allowing visitors to enjoy the Carnival spirit via drive-by or walk-by tours while maintaining social distancing.
Where could visitors see the house floats in New Orleans?
House floats were located in nearly every neighborhood across the city, with major professional displays concentrated in areas like the Garden District, Mid-City, and the French Quarter. The city provided official maps through organizations like the Krewe of Red Beans to help spectators navigate these stationary displays throughout the 16-day celebration period.
What safety rules were in place for Mardi Gras 2021?
The primary safety protocol for the 2021 season was the “Look, Don’t Linger” policy, which encouraged spectators to keep moving to prevent crowd formation. Public health mandates also required masks that covered both the nose and mouth, even for those wearing decorative “masque” costumes, to ensure a safe, family-friendly environment during the pandemic.
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