Mardi Gras Could Get More Expensive as New Orleans Eyes

Mardi Gras could soon become more expensive for the krewes putting on the “Greatest Free Show on Earth.”

New Orleans officials are considering a new $850 fee for every float participating in Mardi Gras parades as the city looks to recover more of the millions it spends providing services during Carnival.

The proposed fee would be in addition to existing parade permit fees, meaning larger krewes with dozens of floats could potentially face tens of thousands of dollars in additional costs just to roll.

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City officials say New Orleans currently faces an estimated $4 million gap between what it spends providing Mardi Gras services and what it collects from Carnival organizations. Those expenses include police, EMS, sanitation and other services necessary to keep the massive celebration running.

Krewe leaders, however, have raised concerns as the cost of putting on Mardi Gras parades continues to climb.

For now, the $850 fee is only a proposal. The New Orleans City Council deferred a vote this week, allowing discussions over the new fees to continue.

If ultimately approved, somebody will have to absorb those additional costs, whether that’s the krewes themselves or, eventually, their members.

The question now is whether the cost of keeping Mardi Gras rolling should fall more heavily on the organizations putting on the parades or New Orleans taxpayers.