LAFAYETTE, La. — Lafayette city officials discussed concerns Tuesday evening after announcing a change to the 2026 Mardi Gras parade route that will now pass through downtown’s Jefferson Street, shrinking available standing room from 200,000 square feet to just 80,000.
During the city council meeting, Councilmember Kenneth Boudreaux raised questions about how the downtown space will accommodate the large crowds typically drawn by the event.
“I don't know if we could put some mannequins out and see how many people could fit, and bring out the barbecue pits, and the pots, the scooters, the strollers, the chairs, the ladders, the tents, the ice chests, and the tables to see how you relocate that from these big open spaces that is being eliminated,” Boudreaux said. “Those are the real questions that people have and now that I have.”
The parade route change has left some local business owners with mixed feelings. Brian Frederick, who owns Frederick Hair Studio on Jefferson Street, said, “I might want to stay neutral on that. I wouldn't really be against it, but it's a lot. It's a lot of people.”
While business owners like Frederick acknowledge the potential for an economic boost during Mardi Gras, there are also concerns about the impact on downtown infrastructure — including a new $250,000 landscaping project.
Lafayette Downtown Development Authority CEO Kevin Blanchard said that while the organization is proud of recent improvements to Jefferson Street, planning for safety is essential.
“We are proud of what we've been able to build here on Jefferson Street, and it's definitely something that we want to share with the rest of the world,” Blanchard said. “I think what we want to make sure we're doing is that we're doing the planning work necessary to make sure that it's safe and that people can get here.”
While Frederick said that he would welcome the parade back to downtown, he emphasized that crowd control would be vital. “I don't think it'd be a terrible thing, but it'd have to be under control,” Frederick said.
City officials, business owners and parade organizers hope that close communication and collaboration will help ensure next year’s parade is a success for the Lafayette community.
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