After the New Years Day mass murder, security officials discussed moving Endymion and other outlying parades to the Uptown route, but the city’s CEO said, ‘We’re not going to sacrifice our traditions.

Five days after a deadly terror attack shook New Orleans, one big question still looms: Will the city be safe for Mardi Gras?

Mobile is a time for revelry, tradition, and celebration—but this year, it will also be marked by heightened security. In a move aimed at protecting crowds, the city is installing new safety barriers along the parade route,

New Orleans will receive the most support possible from the federal government as it works to secure its streets for Mardi Gras this year, after President Joe Biden’s administration promptly granted the city’s request for extra aid in the wake of the deadly Bourbon Street attack on New Year’s Day.

The SEAR-1 rating is granted based on national security importance. While New Orleans typically receives a SEAR-2 designation due to the large crowds during Mardi Gras, the recent New Year’s attack that killed 14 innocent people will increase the federal assistance provided to the city.

Mardi Gras has been designated as a SEAR 1 (Special Event Assessment Rating) event for the first time, signaling heightened federal support. This designation means the city could

City of New Orleans officials say Mardi Gras parades this year will remain on their usual routes, despite earlier talk of moving them all to the Uptown route.