Tracy Herrin, Captain of Captains of Northwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association, talks with 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty about plans for coronations, balls and parades for the 2021 season. It was recently announced that, because of the Coronavirus, events for this summer and fall and leading up to next year's Mardi Gras season, except the parades, are officially cancelled.

Herrin tells KEEL listeners about the individual decisions made by the various Krewes pertaining to their own events. "It was difficult in the sense that it really hurts to say, 'These are the things we're not going to be doing.' Each Captain had to make their own decision to decide what was best for their Krewe. They sat down with their boards to assess what's best for the public and what's best for our members."

Herrin adds that the final decision to cancel all the Krewe events was difficult. "It's just hard for us all to accept that there's not going to be much Mardi Gras."

And what about the parades? Herrin says Krewes are operating as though they're going to happen. "We're planning," she says, "The big question is can we get beads and throws and everything else in time. But right now, that's looking good. The biggest thing is, will we be allowed to have it by the city. That's our number one thing."

Herrin goes on to say that having time to plan is of utmost importance. "It takes a lot of coordination with the city - police, SPAR, things like that.. We're planning. The Krewes are like, 'We're gonna dot it!.' We're going to plan like we're going to have it until we can't."

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