Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson is giving Carnival organizations more breathing room to decide whether to hold their 2021 Mardi Gras parades and balls, as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to prompt mystic societies across the city to scale back or scrap their plans altogether.
The changes were spelled out in a memorandum sent to parading organizations following a virtual meeting the mayor’s office held with society representatives. The letter softens several deadlines that groups would normally have to meet months in advance, giving them more flexibility to wait and see how the public health situation develops before committing time and money to a parade or ball.
Under the revised guidance, societies now have until Dec. 11 to apply for a parade permit, but they will not have to pay the associated permitting fee until five days before their parade is scheduled to roll. That change effectively lets organizations lock in a parade route and date without having to pay upfront, months before Carnival season begins in earnest.
The city is also loosening the rules for ball reservations at venues owned by the city and managed by ASM Global. Under the new policy, groups can cancel those reservations without penalty up to a week before the event. Any deposit a society has placed with ASM Global for a Mardi Gras venue will be refunded if the group cancels because of concerns about spreading COVID-19. If a ball is called off, alcoholic beverages already purchased through ASM Global will be paid for by the city and set aside for the organization’s use during the 2022 Mardi Gras season.
The flexibility comes as Gov. Kay Ivey’s Safer at Home order remains in effect, with an extension pushing it to at least Dec. 11. City officials say it is not yet clear whether the order, or some successor to it, will still be active by the time parades are scheduled to roll during Carnival season. If the order remains in place, the city’s legal department has determined that floats could carry as many as nine riders per side and per level at the same time.
Any additional restrictions beyond the state’s Safer at Home order, or whatever order follows it, would fall to the Mobile County Health Department to decide, according to the guidance. City officials described the matter as fundamentally a public health issue that rests within the health department’s authority, and said they would continue relaying new information to Carnival organizations so group leaders can make informed decisions.
Several mystic societies have already announced they will not parade or hold balls in 2021. Crewe of Columbus has called off both its parade and its ball for the coming season. The Order of Polka Dots has likewise canceled both of its scheduled events. The La Krewe de Bienville parade, traditionally held on Joe Cain Day, has also reportedly been scrapped for 2021.
Mardi Gras is a major economic and cultural event for Mobile, drawing thousands of visitors downtown each year for parades, balls and related festivities. The string of cancellations reflects the uncertainty facing organizers as they try to balance decades-old Carnival traditions against ongoing public health concerns tied to the pandemic. City officials have indicated they hope the eased permitting and cancellation terms will encourage groups that are still undecided to hold off on canceling and instead wait closer to Carnival season to make a final call.