(210215) -- HOUSTON, Feb. 15, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Visitors talk with a hostess during Mardi Gras season, New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States, Feb. 13, 2021. The Mardi Gras Season which lasts more than a month is held annually in the U.S. city of New Orleans from January to February. Most of the traditional Mardi Gras activities have been canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some families here hosted a mini-parade at their yards or around their neighborhood to keep the spirit of carnival alive On Saturday. (Photo by Lan Wei/Xinhua) (Photo by Xinhua/Sipa USA)
U.S.-LOUISIANA-NEW ORLEANS-MINI-PARADE
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Mardi Gras joy is muted this year in New Orleans as authorities seek to stifle the spread of the coronavirus.
Bars were forced to close during the final weekend of the season, parades that generally start 12 days before the big day have been stilled, and Mayor LaToya Cantrell is promising a crackdown on large crowds.
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the annual pre-Lenten bash celebrated along much of the Gulf Coast, with the biggest bashes in heavily Catholic New Orleans. Last year’s revelry is now believed to have contributed to an early surge that made Louisiana a southern COVID-19 hot spot.
Tourism officials are stressing safety for those who do come to this year’s celebration, while showcasing the house floats and online attractions to keep the city on the mind of future post-pandemic tourists.
