NEW ORLEANS — As the 2025 Carnival season culminates in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast, the city is gearing up for its famous festivities featuring vibrant parades, elegant balls, and playful costumes. On Thursday night, New Orleans will see three parades filled with masked participants riding on colorful floats. This marks the beginning of daily parades rolling through Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. People dressed in costumes will crowd the French Quarter, while similar celebrations occur in the suburbs of New Orleans and throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
**Understanding Mardi Gras**
Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a tradition steeped in Christian and Roman Catholic roots, kicking off on January 6, twelve days post-Christmas, and continuing until Mardi Gras itself. It represents a day of indulgence before Lent’s arrival, a period of fasting in preparation for Easter. Over the years, New Orleans’ Carnival has transcended its religious origins, becoming a secular spectacle renowned for its opulent parades, grand parties, and lavish costumes. Some parades showcase high-tech floats adorned with lights and massive moving figures.
Virginia Saussy from the Krewe of Muses describes the celebration as a grand, inclusive event, likening it to a six-mile block party. “You have to experience it to truly understand,” she remarked, highlighting the joy and communal spirit of the occasion.
**Alternative Celebrations**
In southwest Louisiana, Mardi Gras is celebrated with the Courir de Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday Run. This Cajun French tradition involves rural processions with participants in masks and costumes, echoing rituals of medieval France. These processions involve performances, begging for ingredients, and lively pursuits of chickens, later used in a community gumbo. In New Orleans, African American revelers don elaborate Mardi Gras Indian suits, embodying an integral Black Carnival tradition that dates back to the 1800s. This custom evolved as a homage to local Native Americans who aided Black people and runaway slaves and emerged during a time of segregation.
**Security Amidst Carnival**
Following a tragic truck attack on January 1 that claimed 14 lives, the Department of Homeland Security has designated Mardi Gras as a high-risk event. Heavier law enforcement will be present to ensure safety, said Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans. Security measures include SWAT teams, armored vehicles, helicopter patrols, and plainclothes agents blending with the crowds. The city will deploy 600 police officers, supplemented by local and state agencies.
DeLaune assured the public that while security is paramount, the cultural essence of Mardi Gras remains untouched. “Our goal is to keep the celebrations safe without altering their historical and cultural significance,” he added.
**Enhanced Security Measures**
St. Charles Avenue, renowned for its stately oaks and historic mansions, will host thousands of revelers enjoying parades of majestic floats, marching bands, and celebrities. A “serpentine” configuration of heavy barricades will obstruct swift-moving vehicles while allowing traffic flow. “It’s a weaving design, like a snake,” explained New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, an extra measure against vehicular threats.
Drones are strictly prohibited during the festivities, and ice chests, which were instrumental in the New Year’s attack, will be banned in the French Quarter’s busiest sections, said Louisiana State Police Superintendent Robert Hodges.
**Timing of Mardi Gras**
Mardi Gras dates vary due to their connection with Easter, occurring between February 3 and March 9. This year’s festival falls on March 4, one of the latest possible dates, promising warmer weather along the Gulf Coast but potentially bringing rain.
**What are ‘Throws?’**
In New Orleans’ Mardi Gras language, “throws” refer to trinkets tossed from parade floats to spectators. Plastic beads are commonplace, although some krewes are exploring eco-friendly alternatives. At the New Orleans Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club parade, attendees eagerly collect decorated coconuts as souvenirs. Additionally, the Muses parade features glittery, hand-decorated shoes, a coveted memento for carnival-goers.
Virginia Saussy recalls how an experimental bead shaped like a stiletto shoe became an iconic giveaway. “We had no idea people loved shoes this much,” she smiled, highlighting the unexpected popularity of these unique parade trinkets.
