If you’re planning to either ride in or attend Mardi Gras parades this year, there are some new rules you’ll want to keep in mind.
Security measures are being increased in the wake of the deadly attack on Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day. Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Mardi Gras was granted a level one Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR), meaning the city will get more federal help with security. The city is also requiring parades to hire more police officers to provide extra security.
Last year, the New Orleans City Council adopted several new rules for the 2025 Mardi Gras season to make routes safer and less congested. Several items, including portable toilets, tents and sofas, have been banned from parade routes.
The council also passed new rules for Mardi Gras krewes, like bans on certain beads and confetti cannons.
Here are the new rules krewes and paradegoers will need to follow.
Banned items:
- Portable toilets
- Confetti cannons
- Tents, canopies, shelters, screens, awnings, ropes, spray paint, any other type of barricade
- Open flames like barbecue grills
- Gas or diesel generators
- Upholstered furniture, including sofas and chaise lounges, scaffolding, platforms, ladders taller than six feet
- Additionally, ladders must not be fastened together and must be 6 feet back from curb
- Chairs and other personal effects shall be placed at least 6 feet back from the street curb
- Personal items left on the public right-of-way for four or more hours may be removed and discarded.
The City of New Orleans will implement a Clear Bag Policy from Feb. 20 to March 4 at Gallier Hall, allowing only clear bags up to 12" x 6" x 12" and small clutch bags (4.5" x 6.5"). Clear backpacks and fanny packs are prohibited.
New rules for krewes:
- Krewes must provide police and other city agencies with a parade lineup form that designates the position of each float, bands and other parade features.
- No krewes can throw beads that contain words or images unrelated to the krewe's parade or theme. Beads must be plain and unadorned or contain the krewe's logo, name or other identifying feature. The same goes for confetti cannons as well.
- Horses in parades must have a hip tag proving they’ve been vaccinated.
- Horses not participating in parades, with the exception of police horses, must stay 200 yards away from the parade route. The rule applies to reptiles as well.
