Final preparations are being made by the City of Lafayette and Lafayette Police Department to ensure a safe Mardi Gras parade season.
Barricades will go up along the parade route on Thursday, February 17, and remain up until after Lafayette's first parade on February 19.
Streets will be closed before the Krewe of Rio rolls at 6:30 pm.
Barricades will be repositioned back onto the streets on Thursday, February 24, in preparation for the Greater Lafayette Mardi Gras Association's parade Friday at 6:30 pm.
Lafayette Police say the barricade procedure will be followed for all of the other below listed parades:
- Friday, February 25, 2022, at 6:30 pm
- Saturday, February 26, 2022, at 12:30 pm and 6:30 pm (*Streets reopened between parades)
- Monday, February 28, 2022, at 6:00 pm
On Tuesday, March 1, 2022, Mardi Gras Day, there are three scheduled parades at 10:00am, 1:00pm and 2:30pm.
LPD says all streets in and around the parade route will be closed until the completion of the final parade. No streets will be open until all citizens have been removed from the area and vehicles are able to travel safely.
The intersection of University Ave and Johnston St, along with the intersection of St. Mary Blvd and Johnston St. will remain open as crossover intersections until the parade is only several blocks from the location.
All parades will begin at Pontiac Point (Jefferson St at Surrey St) and end at Cajun Field except for the children’s parade.
The Children’s Parade, which is scheduled for Saturday, February 26, 2022, at 12:30 pm, will begin at Lafayette Street and West Vermilion Street and end at Cajun Field.
The Lafayette Police Department asks residents and businesses along the parade route to make arrangements during the time of the road closures to avoid any inconvenience. They can contact the Lafayette Police Department at (337)291-8600 for any assistance needed in negotiating the parade route.
Location of Command POST along the Parade Route:
- Fire Station #1 at Vermilion and Lee Street
- Fire Station #5 at Johnston St. and St. Julien Street
- Lafayette Police Command Bus at Johnston St and S. College
The Police Department provided the following need-to-know information on the parades:
LOST or FOUND CHILDREN – can be brought to any officer along the parade route or to one of the above listed command post.
- Please Note—Parents are requested to secure a note in a pocket of each child with the child’s name, address, and telephone number of someone to contact in case the parent and child become separated. (The number should be someone who will be home, not with the parent or child.)
Medical Assistance - Acadian Ambulance Service will have ambulance units stationed along the parade route. Citizens needing medical assistance should notify one of the police officers along the parade route or report to the nearest police command post.
Parking – No parking will be allowed on the streets or sidewalks along the parade routes. The city-parking garage on Vermilion Street will not be available to the public. Parking at the Blackham Coliseum, inside the fenced area will be limited to floats and people picking up band members and other parade participants.
Handicap Viewing – The following areas will be designated as handicap viewing. An accessible Mardi Gras Parade Zone will be available for citizens with disabilities attending parades in Lafayette. The zone will be located at the intersection of Johnston Street and St. Julien Street by Fire Station Number Five. The zone will be cordoned off and is specifically reserved for citizens with disabilities to enjoy the parades. Space is limited and will be available on a first come first serve basis.
Prohibitions – The following will be prohibited along the parade route: Any product that is manufactured for the purpose of being thrown against a hard surface or stepped on to make a popping noise: such as, snaps, pops, and cracker balls; silly string; animals; roller blading; skateboards; whips; glass containers; No flashing (exposing oneself), and throwing items back at float riders. Entering the barricaded areas during the parades is not allowed and strictly enforced.
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