St Martinville mayor cancels Mardi Gras parade, citing cost, crowd control

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The streets of St. Martinville are calm right now, but during the annual Mardi Gras parade, they're flooded with party-goers. City Councilman Mike Fuselier said, "As we've always said, the parade isn't the problem. The problem is the problem is the amount of people who come to the parade."

Councilman Fuselier voted against the parade permit, claiming it's a safety hazard. He said, "We had a drone video last year that showed that through the parade route, you literally had the crowd convulging onto the street, past the barricades. There were no barricades to be seen. So, you literally had floats going through crowds of people." And with roadways blocked, it can be difficult for emergency vehicles to get through.

Jared Champagne, a resident, said, "Last year, when we tried to bring or daughter to the emergency room, it was very difficult with all the traffic and no security." Some residents say they are terrified to come to the parade just because of the number of people. but that's not the only things Councilman Fuselier says is an issue. "You're looking at thirty-thousand dollars approximately worth of law enforcement." Despite the council's three to one vote, the mayor decided to cancel the parade, claiming the $200,000 needed to staff and barricade the route is not in the budget.

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