Mardi Gras Safety Tips
“It’s Carnival Time, and Everybody’s Having Fun”
This famous Mardi Gras song by Al Johnson can be heard at almost every krewe’s parade. It’s a wonderful time to live in South Louisiana and everybody is having fun! But whether you’re going to Mardi Gras to party with thousands of revelers or to enjoy a family-friendly event, safety should always come first. Be sure to keep these safety tips in mind before and during the parades.
Before going to the parade:
- Teach your children their name and phone number prior to the parade.
- Mark your children’s name, address and phone number either inside their clothing or on a necklace they can wear in case they get separated from you.
- Make sure your child knows if a stranger tries to talk to them, to say “You’re not my parent,” and get away.
- If possible, try to go the same area to view parades, if possible, and teach your child a landmark to meet if separated.
- Teach your children to stay calm if lost, and go to the designated meeting place. If they see a uniformed police officer, they should be able to have them phone you. If no police officer is in your area teach your child to go to another parent with children for help.
Attending the parade:
- Do not jump over the police barricades. Ask an officer for permission to cross from one side of the street to the other. The barricades are there for protection.
- Do not bring a big purse to the parade. Put your personal items in your front pockets. Men should carry their wallets in their front pockets.
- Stand a distance from floats, trailers and horses.
- Do not run alongside the floats, trailers or horses.
- Do not follow the bands.
- Do not throw beads at parade riders.
- Do not put someone on your shoulders if you or that person is intoxicated. Stay away from the street or curb.
- Don’t ever try to rush out into the middle of the parade route to grab beads.
- Put small children in a ladder off the street as far back as the ladder is tall, and have an adult stay with the ladder at all times.
- Never fight over beads, trinkets or a spot at the parade route.
- Always do what the police say. Always.