Harlan Kirgan
No decision has been made about holding the Mardi Gras in downtown Eunice, but the Courir de Mardi Gras is planned.
Eunice Mayor Scott Fontenot says whether Mardi Gras is celebrated here is a sensitive decision.
There are economic, cultural and COVID-19 concerns for an event that packs people into downtown Eunice.
Mardi Gras is Feb. 16. Fontenot suspects the Jan. 16 Board of Aldermen meeting might be the deadline to make an announcement.
“At this point in the past we probably would have already had bands lined up. Right now there is just so much uncertainty. I know everytime you turn around someone else is cancelling their Mardi Gras parades and such, but it is a little different here. We’ve got the Courir de Mardi Gras and they are going on horseback. They may make adjustments. I don’t know yet,” Fontenot said.
There will be a run unless there is a mandate not to do so said Pat Frey, Mardi Gras Association captain.
“We are planning a run with some strict rules,” he said.
The run might include limits on the number of people and trailers.
Horseback riders can keep their distance and the walkers will have to keep their masks on, he said.
In November, the City of New Orleans announced it would not issue parade permits for Mardi Gras, but stressed it could not cancel the religious holiday remains.
Mardi Gras parades in Scott, Youngsville and Morgan City have been cancelled.
Fontenot said it may not be safe to allow the kind of crowds that usually pack 2nd Street and Park Avenue on Mardi Gras.
“We definitely don’t want to be a hot bed for a COVID spreader. I can tell you that,” he said.
The Eunice Mardi Gras run may be a different issue as it leaves the Northwest Community Center for a trek on a rural route that would allow spacing. The run traditionally ends at the Northwest Center.
Frey said he does not envision the run parading through downtown Eunice.
“I think we will have to have a collective agreement among council members and members of the community,” Fontenot said.
“We are getting calls from outside of the area asking if we are going to have Mardi Gras or not,” he said.
Parish President Jessie Bellard said Mardi Gras runs do not need a permit.
“If people want to have Mardi Gras, I say let them have it,” he said.
“As far as I’m concerned it is an outside event.”