Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a time for no-holds-barred celebration — but the holiday also sparks fears over crime and fatalities, considering past years’ deaths. Each spring, over 1 million visitors flock to New Orleans for Carnival, more than quadrupling the city’s population in a manner of days. Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the culmination of Carnival season, which officially begins each year on Jan. 6, the 12th day after Christmas, and closes with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras Drunk Driving Accidents in New Orleans. Sadly, alcohol is involved in over 30% of all fatal car accidents. The New Orleans police department has its hands full right now as public intoxication arrests and DWI charges spike during Mardi Gras. Louisiana Mardi Gras DWI arrests peaked in 2009, reaching nearly 32,000 that season. In 2017, a “highly intoxicated” driver drove a vehicle into a crowd during the Krewe of Endymion Mardi Gras parade, injuring 28 people, mostly cyclists. Multiple people were pinned under the Mardi Gras is the third big test for New Orleans since the horrific Jan. 1 truck-ramming and shooting rampage on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter was allegedly carried out by a 42-year-old U Mardi Gras in New Orleans is considered a SEAR 1 event, which is a rating of special events based on risk-assessment, meaning that the event will receive federal interagency support.. The city of New Orleans Faces Super Bowl, Mardi Gras Safety Concerns After Attack. Published Jan 01, 2025 at 10:08 PM EST Updated Jan 02, 2025 at 3:10 AM EST. By . Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the culmination of Carnival season, which officially begins each year on Jan. 6, the 12th day after Christmas, and closes with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the culmination of Carnival season, which officially begins each year on Jan. 6, the 12th day after Christmas, and closes with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. New Orleans’ raucous celebration is the nation’s most well-known, but the holiday is also celebrated throughout much of Louisiana and the Gulf NEW ORLEANS — Almost everyone has their perfect spot to take in the full majesty of Mardi Gras parades here, from the brightly lit floats from which riders toss bounties of colorful beads to the Don’t do it, you will either get towed or get an annoying parking ticket. We recommend carpooling, getting someone to drop you off or use public transportation. Do take note however, that the streetcar has a different schedule during Mardi Gras. 12. Do Wear a Costume Mardi gras is the time to get that crazy costume out. FILE – Revelers throw beads from balconies in the rain during Mardi Gras festivities in the French Quarter in New Orleans, March 4, 2014. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) Rest assured, the City has a team of security experts who have thought of everything they can to make Mardi Gras 2018 as safe as possible. To learn more about steps that have been taken to ensure the safety of our guests during Carnival season, read this press release from the City of New Orleans. Understanding local rules is vital for a responsible and secure Mardi Gras experience. Non-compliance with Mardi Gras regulations can lead to fines, legal ramifications, and disruption of the festivities. Understanding Parade Routes and Areas. New Orleans comes alive during Mardi Gras with a multitude of parades winding through the city’s Click on the Mardi Gras krewes below for further information about the krewe and to see their usual route for each parade. Please note: Events and activities are subject to change without notice. Stay tuned to the site for further info. Mardi Gras is dangerous if you are oblivious, drunk, and not prepared. It is also very fun. I am assuming French Quarter Mardi Gras not outside neighborhoods, Galveston, or Mobile. You do not go alone. If you can I strongly advise staying in a hotel within walking distance of anywhere you want to go. While Mardi Gras has a somewhat seedy reputation, that misconception is largely fueled by drunken and misbehaved tourists unaccustomed to New Orleans' special brand of partying. First off, Mardi Gras, French for "Fat Tuesday" is actually just one day, the culmination of a month-long Carnival Season. It's also a statewide public holiday in Safety Tips for Mardi Gras Metropolitan Safety Council, Inc. 4200 S I-10 Service Rd W, Suite 140, Metairie, LA 70001 Tele 504-888-7618; Web www.metrosafety.org; Email info@metrosafety.org LAWS . . . ON THE STREET . . . Prohibited • Open containers of glass or metal not permitted. • Public laws prohibit spraying Silly String or throwing The Mardi Gras Indians have become a central part of the city's celebrations, but there was a time when residents found them mysterious and outsiders even considered them dangerous. The weekend before Mardi Gras all the action is on this route, but Lundi and Mardi Gras most of the action is downtown. Uptown parades (the ones on St. Charles) are the ones with the big elaborate floats that throw all the beads, downtown parades (usually start in the Marigny but go through parts of the French Quarter, Treme and Bywater) are
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