While 2021 Mardi Gras parades in neighboring St. John the Baptist Parish have already been cancelled by parish government officials, local krewes in St. Charles Parish are still holding out hope that they’ll be able to ride in 2021.
Debbie Dufresne Vial of the Krewe of Lul said that the organization will more than likely have to make some type of decision about their parade within the next month.
“We’re in a holding pattern right now,” she said. “We’re looking to see how the governor’s mandates are going. We haven’t made a decision just yet.”
Vial said the krewe would forgo a ball this year even in the event that a parade could be held.
“We had a ball on the 40th anniversary and we had discussed continuing to maybe do a ball every other year or at intervals and we had tentatively thought of doing it this year, but all that was scratched,” she said. “There’s a possibility that we could still do a parade, but the timeframe is starting to get short. Typically we have a early sign up period or registration period in December and then the fees start in January.”
Vial said she expected the Krewe of Lul to decide by mid-November if they would try to ride.
“We are in a holding pattern to see if the parish government and sheriff’s office mandate anything locally,” she said.
St. Charles Parish Greg Champagne, whose office is responsible for permitting events such as Mardi Gras parades, was frank is his response when questioned about the feasibility of local parades in 2021.
“I have no intention of stopping any event, especially an outside one,” he said.
Mitzi Petit, who helps organize the Krewe of Des Allemands parade, said this week that her krewe’s plan is to roll as long as the parish allows it.
“Granted things could drastically change in the next few months, but as of right now we’re looking to roll … as long as they allow it, we will roll,” she said.
Petit said permitting wasn’t an issue for the annual Krewe of Boo, a trick or treating event to be held on the grounds of St. Gertrude Catholic Church Oct. 30. She added that the krewe is still hoping to have their dance in January, in which they crown royalty for the annual Mardi Gras parade.
“As of right now we still have our dance booked,” she said. “Normally we send out all of our float packets before the holidays, but this year with the virus it leaves a lot up in the air. If the floats come, we can pull it off. We’re hoping we can roll, but we’re waiting for the calls.”
Petit said she would love to be able to offer the parade to the community.
“People are so ready to get back to normal events and traditions,” she said. “It’s definitely not an easy decision. We’re waiting to see.”
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