LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Mardi Gras parades are set to return to their historic route on Jefferson Street in Lafayette for the upcoming season, sparking discussions about the decision-making process.

The Lafayette Consolidated Government announced the change, describing it as a tradition coming full circle "ensure a safe, family-friendly, and seamless experience for all." However, questions have arisen regarding the level of public input in the decision, with District Five City Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux planning to address the topic at an upcoming city council meeting.

"Hopefully we could get more answers, move further down the road and see if this is truly the best way to go," said Boudreaux.

As the parade returns to Jefferson Street, businesses along both the old and new routes are expressing varied reactions. Alexis Badon, co-owner of Magnolia Pantry, located on the old route, voiced disappointment over the change, noting the expected loss of income due to the parade no longer passing along Vermilion Street.

"We had accounted for that gain of income for the Mardi Gras parade since it was running on Vermilion," said Badon. "So that is going to be a huge loss for us of what we expected to make."

Conversely, Paige Billeaud, a sales associate at Gentry Supply & Co., sees potential benefits for businesses along Jefferson Street.

"To bring the parade that was originally here downtown for Mardi Gras and gives all the companies, organizations and businesses a bit of front facing with people from the Lafayette area and beyond," Billeaud commented.

In response to concerns, Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Blanco Boulet emphasized the extensive coordination involved in planning the event.

"Mardi Gras in Lafayette takes a lot of coordination to assure everything runs safely and smoothly," she said. "That work is already well underway. My administration including the Lafayette Police Department and Public works along with many of the Lafayette Mardi Gras krewes and stakeholders, are focused on ensuring a safe and seamless celebration for all involved. The input and experience from those involved in parade logistics, has been critical in shaping this year’s planning efforts."

Jefferson Street welcomes hundreds of thousands of people each year, and many local businesses are excited to see the parades return. The timing of barricades placement will be planned to assure as much business continuation as possible.

Although there are different thoughts on the parade route change, safety and enjoyment is the top priority for this upcoming Mardi Gras season.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLFY. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLFY staff before being published.

Latest news