United States: in New Orleans, a Mardi Gras on the Internet, Covid-19 requires
Vehicles in City Park, New Orleans, for the traditional Mardi Gras celebrations, February 14, 2021. AFP - JON CHERRY
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In the United States, this Mardi Gras day usually results in a huge carnival in New Orleans.
Each year, thousands of tourists come to this Louisiana city for this occasion.
But due to the pandemic, the parade has been exceptionally canceled this year.
In the absence of colorful floats and music, the municipality tried to celebrate the event on the Internet.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in the United States,
Anne Corpet
A masked brass band and a conductor asking residents to wash their hands, all broadcast on the Internet.
We are far from the madness that usually takes hold of New Orleans for Mardi Gras.
Instead of blessing the parade of floats, Christopher Nolty, the bishop of St. Louis Cathedral, addressed residents through Zoom.
“
Last year, we wore masks as part of our disguises.
This year, we wear them to protect our health
, he said.
Last year I blessed the floats at the start of the parade and followed him in the second line.
A few months later, I was on the front line giving extreme unction to the dying in the hospital
”.
The parade last year was a hotspot for the spread of the virus.
The city has therefore closed its bars and restaurants this year.
New Orleans loses $ 130 million each week due to the lack of tourists.
But the inhabitants wanted to celebrate Mardi Gras anyway.
Instead of parading in costume, hundreds of people decorated their homes in spectacular fashion.
► (Re) listen: The epic of black music: Long live New Orleans!
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
United States
On the same subject
United States
United States: New Orleans dismantles Confederate monument
United States
United States: Obama in New Orleans, 10 years after Katrina
United States
United States: New Orleans elects for the first time a woman at its head