GUEYDAN — The town of Gueydan is in full preparation mode. Two separate events are scheduled to happen Saturday. A parade and a chicken run, as well as what's being called a Winter Festival.
Owners of Krewe De Krunk out of Breaux Bridge add decorations to their float Friday night. They say when they heard there was a Mardi Gras parade happening, they had to be apart of it.
"We heard about this parade able to run, and we said we have to be there. I mean this is almost a dream come true, because our floats wanted to go to Houma, but they're not having it either," owner Lance Ruffins said.
Krewe members say the understand why Mardi Gras festivities all over the state have been canceled, but they say they have made adjustments and the party should go on.
"We usually have 100 riders, we cut that in half to have social distancing, and we're encouraging people to wear their mask," Jacob Moore said.
Inside city limits, preparation for another one of Saturday's events in the Vermilion Parish town.
The Winter Festival is being put on by the Chamber of Commerce as a way for the community to come together.
"We'll have food vendors, arts and crafts, pretty much anything and everything you want," Mayor Jude Reese explained.
Reese says this festival is not part of the Mardi Gras events happening around the same time.
"It's an annual Mardi Gras run they do every year, they put that on, they organize it, it's a different event," he said.
When asked about hosting the festival in the midst of the pandemic, the mayor said precautions will be taken.
"I'll talk to everybody tomorrow. We're going to practice safe procedures. I'll encourage the masks, I'm going to have everyone spread throughout the city park," Reese said.
Both events will start at 8 am. The parade will run at 2 pm.
