It seems that the anxiety that 2020 has caused us has been extended to next year, at least as far as Mardi Gras festivities are concerned. Several Louisiana krewes have canceled balls and parades already, in Shreveport, Lafayette, Henderson, and Baton Rouge. But the news that New Orleans would not allow parades to roll during Carnival season has rocked our world. The massive economic impact cannot be understated, and the cultural aspect of no parades will sting for every Louisiana resident who loves to celebrate our most famous holiday in the Big Easy, and beyond.

And now comes the news that another Baton Rouge krewe has made the difficult decision to cancel their 2021 Mardi Gras parade. The Krewe of Southdowns bills itself as Baton Rouge's first and most unique family-friendly parade that rolls at night. They were established in 1988 by Dr. William Gladney, and have been an important, and fun, element of the Carnival scene in our capital city. Their parade is formally known as the "Flambeaux Parade", and this year their theme was "the Roaring 20's".

According to Baton Rouge TV station WBRZ, on Wednesday Krewe Captain and President Tad Haller released a statement to them that said, in part:

"On behalf of Parade Command, and with a heavy heart, I announce the Krewe of Southdowns will not be holding out traditional Mardi Gras Ball or Parade in 2021.

The health and safety of the public and our members is our primary responsibility. Despite COVID-19 vaccines being only weeks away from distribution, it is unlikely that the general public will have sufficient numbers to safely support the 2021 Mardi Gras season".

Check out video of the 2018 Southdowns parade below.

 

 

 

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