'You've taken the parade out of Youngsville': Some residents upset over Mardi Gras route

Youngsville's Mardi Gras parade, which has grown exponentially in recent years, has drawn criticism from some residents for a route that no longer goes through "the village" and instead through newer parts of the city.

Mark Albarado spoke during a Thursday city council meeting about how much he and other residents miss the original route.

"The old parade went through Youngsville," Albarado said. "And we feel this new route — basically you've taken the parade out of Youngsville."

The new route travels along Chemin Metairie Road, East Milton Avenue, Bonin Road and Iberia Street. Previous parade routes included those roads but also meandered by schools, churches and businesses along Church and Railroad streets in downtown Youngsville.

City leaders said they tried to keep the tradition — which brought about 75,000 people to Youngsville during this year's four-hour parade — safe and manageable by implementing three changes: a new route, an increase in permit fees and a limit to the number of floats, bands and dance teams. The changes allowed first responders easier access throughout the city, funded about 100 extra officers to work during the event and kept the parade moving with fewer stalls.

"We changed some things with the parade because we want to be able to continue it, and we want to be able to continue it in a safe manner," said Mayor Ken Ritter. "That was the only motive behind it."

Ritter said City Hall fielded more complaints than usual in the weeks before the Feb. 10 parade but fewer complaints than usual in the weeks that followed. Despite going from 137 floats in 2023 to just 80 floats this year, the parade lasted about as long as the previous year. The difference, Ritter said, is that there were fewer gaps between floats, bands and dance teams this year. Those gaps are often where problems and injuries occur as people jump off of floats and bystanders crowd into the street. A float rolled over a woman's foot a few years ago after she jumped from a float in the Youngsville parade, Ritter said.

Interim Police Chief Cody Louviere said there were only 20 calls for service during a six-hour period around the day's festivities. Most calls were minor, such as traffic problems, with just two disturbances and one arrest made. Council Member Lindy Bolgiano, who works as a Youngsville firefighter, said a major reason for the route change was because first responders were gridlocked on both sides of the old route.

"Having so many residents and so many goers downtown was really a nightmare just trying to navigate a flow, much less emergency services in general. That was really difficult," Bolgiano said. "It was eye-opening to see everyone shift and really kind of become one down Chemin Metairie and enjoy other parts of our community and not just the downtown."

The city council added an item to its April agenda for parade feedback, during which several residents shared concerns about children's safety, access to businesses and the new route that bypasses downtown Youngsville.

Deanna Montgomery said several businesses are missing out on Mardi Gras patrons because of the route change. 

Council Member Matt Romero said his conversations with owners of businesses along the parade route went differently than Montgomery might expect. Last year, Morvant's Bar & Grill couldn't even open because there were so many people crowded along the route.

"They had to pay the band to leave and not even play," Romero said. "They lost revenue that year."

Montgomery also said children who stood on barricades were nearly hit in the head by mirrors of large trucks pulling floats around roundabouts. She said people were safer when they stood on sidewalks in the heart of Youngsville to watch the parade.

"You're taking away from the village," Montgomery said. "And that's what made Youngsville."