NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell is putting the brakes on one carnival krewe’s plan to host a summer parade in New Orleans.
Cantrell released the following statement on Monday night:
“While I have the utmost respect for what Nyx has achieved as an all-women’s Carnival krewe, and I applaud them for their commitment to our children and our community — unfortunately I cannot support the addition of a summer parade. Their proposed second parade places demands on our public safety resources in the middle of hurricane season, and it is not something our NOPD leadership is comfortable with. Their request has been denied, and the event will not proceed.”
When Nyx leaders announced their intentions for the parade, they hoped that the city would embrace the idea of having a parade in July. The summer months are typically slower for tourism in the city.
But even before the city and Cantrell made their decision, others began to say publicly that the krewe should, essentially, slow their roll.
In an opinion piece, New Orleans Magazine editor, and carnival historian, Errol Laborde was critical of the idea of breaking tradition with a summer carnival parade.
In May, Nyx leaders revealed their plans which called for a second parade each year. In a written statement announcing the second parade plan, krewe founder and captain Julie Lea said that once a year is not enough when it comes to the krewe’s parade and its signature hand-decorated purse throw.
The krewe even announced a 1970s theme for the parade and a route that would roll down Elysian Fields to North Peters, Decatur, to Jackson Square and eventually ending at Tchoupitoulas and Andrew Higgins in the Warehouse District.
The krewe’s captain, Julie Lea, released the following statement following Cantrell’s decision.
“While we strongly disagree with Mayor Cantrell’s decision to reject our permit request to stage a summer parade, we respectfully accept it. We had no intention of straining the city’s public safety resources and understood that the costs of city services were up to us. We chose a weekend where no other events were occurring in town, to purposely not tax city resources unnecessarily. Our members were excited about parading during the summer and we had already heard from several groups who planned to visit the city because of the parade. We thought this event would be a great thing for summer tourism and the City of New Orleans in general. I can’t adequately explain my disappointment, but like strong women do, we stand up again and again. Nyx will always strive to break glass ceilings and do big things for the city we love. Our commitment to New Orleans remains steadfast.”