Barricades are being placed downtown for Mardi Gras parades starting this weekend.
Although the city benefits from the rush, for some downtown business, there is a downside to the holiday.
Parades run through downtown Lafayette for two weeks and it draws in a big crowd. But for downtown businesses it can cause problems.
"Mardi Gras does not bring business to me, it takes business away from me," says Hub City Cycles owner, Megan Arceneaux.
Arceneaux has been in business for 10 years and she says the barricades along the parade route make getting to her business hard for customers.
Arceneaux says, "The biggest inconvenience is when people want to drop off their bicycle. Where are they going to drop it off at? There is nowhere for them to drop it off at.
Vermilion St. is the only street barricaded for two weeks and Archeneaux closes her shop during the holiday every year.
"It's a lot of money to put up these barricades, probably losing money, losing sales tax revenue, throughout the week that we're not able to have sales," says Arceneaux.
She hopes downtown officials are working with Lafayette Consolidated Government to find a solution.
"Those are all of the people who need to be talking. As a business owner I can only give my grievances," says Arceneaux.
KATC also reached out to Lafayette Consolidated Government for comment but they have not responded.
