Mardi Gras in New Orleans typically means dancing in the streets, standing shoulder to shoulder with strangers and watching one parade after another roll by while slowly becoming a human bead tree. But Mardi Gras 2021 will be different.

Parades won’t roll. There will be no large crowds or events. The health and safety of our community is a priority, but that doesn’t mean Mardi Gras is cancelled.

In the days leading up to February 16, expect the king cakes to flow in abundance and krewes to find new ways to keep the Mardi Gras spirit alive.