Recently, the City Council unanimously approved several major changes:designed to improve public safety, manage police staffing, and reduce overtime costs.
The primary changes taking effect for the upcoming Carnival seasons are structured below.
New Orleans Route and Schedule Changes
- Earlier Start Times: Several high-profile parades will roll between 30 minutes to an hour earlier. This provides essential rest breaks for EMS, police, and sanitation crews.
- Lineup Reshuffling: On the Thursday before Mardi Gras, the Knights of Chaos will roll first, followed by Babylon, and Muses will cap the night 30 minutes earlier than its traditional time. On the Friday before Mardi Gras, Krewe d’Etat will now lead the procession, followed by Hermes and Morpheus.
- Shorter Parade Routes: Specific routes for the Knights of Sparta and Krewe d’Etat are being shortened to relieve pressure on law enforcement staffing.
Stricter Float and Throw Regulations
- Ban on Heavy and Glass Throws: Throws cannot weigh more than 3.5 pounds to stop the trend of throwing small appliances like TVs or air fryers. Glass items (except for beads) are completely banned after an injury involving a glass bottle.
- No Alcohol or Tobacco: Float riders are strictly prohibited from handing out alcohol (including Jell-O shots) to parade-goers. Smoking and vaping on floats are entirely banned, resulting in immediate removal.
- Rider Safety Adjustments: All float riders are now legally required to keep both feet on the floor and wear safety harnesses at all times.
- Marching Band Limitations: Marching bands are prohibited from stopping the flow of a moving parade to perform stationary routines.
Strict Route Enforcement and Increased Fines
- Criminal Misdemeanor Charges: Violations that hinder the parade route are elevated from civil fines to criminal misdemeanors.
- Ladder and Property Violations: Fines for tying ladders together, placing unauthorized portable toilets, or leaving grills and furniture in public spaces along the route have increased drastically to $1,000 for the first day and $2,000 for each subsequent day.
- Parking Restrictions: Pre-parade “no-parking” periods along routes have been doubled from two hours to four hours to ensure streets are clear for floats.
- Confetti Ban: The use of paper, Mylar, or metallic confetti and confetti guns is strictly prohibited due to past power outages and cleanup hazards.
