Safety Tips for Celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans

Every year the already popular and busy city of New Orleans celebrates Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" because it is the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of lent. Mardi Gras is celebrated 47 days before Easter Sunday, so it is on a different date every year. The date for 2011 is March 8^th.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a spectacular celebration, but knowing how to be safe and still enjoy the celebration is very important. Below are some safety tips for attending Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Find out the parade routes

People tend to believe that the parades take place in the French Quarter, when they actually do not. The Mardi Gras website for New Orleans has information for each year's parade routes and schedules.

Money

Be very careful with your money during Mardi Gras, the streets will be jam packed and so do not bring a purse. Don't even bring a wallet if you can help it. Keep your money discreetly in your front pocket and do not make it obvious that you have any cash on you.

Children

If you are bringing children to Mardi Gras make sure that their clothing is labeled or they have a card with their name, your names, your phone number and where you are staying pinned to the inside of their clothing

Meeting Spot

New Orleans is a crowded city anyway, but during Mardi Gras the possibility of getting separated is very likely. Pick a spot for everyone to meet if you become separated. This will help in the confusion.

Watch out for flying objects

During the Mardi Gras parades the riders throw trinkets and beads into the crowd. Be careful that you or one of your children do not get hit by one of these flying objects.

Watch your fingers

The above said flying object sometimes land on the ground as well. If you want to claim something, put your foot on it until it's safe to bend over and pick it up. Having your fingers trampled is not the best feeling in the world.

Alcohol: Know when to stop

New Orleans is a city where you can walk around with an open container. Anywhere you go you can find alcoholic beverages. Know when enough is enough, and stop. A lot of the alcoholic beverages there taste like juice and it's easy to overdo it.

Respect the police

The police men and women of New Orleans have quite a job anyway. So, during Mardi Gras it is especially crazy for them. So be respectful of the law and stay out of trouble.

Have tolerance for those who had a wee bit much to drink

As said above, New Orleans is a city where you can drink anywhere so it's bound to be full of people who have had a little over their limit...or a lot. Be mindful of them and have some tolerance if someone happens to bump into you or spills their drink on your shoes. Not having a little patience with them could result in a fight and having to deal with the police.