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See How Louisiana Pivoted to Extravagant House Floats for Mardi Gras

Erika Goldring | Getty Images
  • Bars are closed, the temperature is freezing and crowds are banned, but that didn't stop Louisianans from feeling the Mardi Gras spirit.
  • Some residents enjoyed the celebrations by creating extravagant house floats to replace the usual parade floats, either adorning their homes themselves or hiring artists to do so.
  • The celebrations are taking a different form this year after last year's Mardi Gras crowds were blamed for a Covid outbreak in Louisiana.
A home is decorated with a New Orleans music theme on February 05, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Erika Goldring | Getty Images
A home is decorated with a New Orleans music theme on February 05, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Bars are closed, the temperature is freezing and crowds are banned, but that hasn't stopped Louisianans from feeling the Mardi Gras spirit.

Some residents enjoyed the celebrations by creating extravagant house floats to replace the usual parade floats, either adorning their homes themselves or hiring artists to do so.

The celebrations are taking a different form this year after last year's Mardi Gras crowds were blamed for a Covid-19 outbreak in Louisiana.

"If people think they're going to come to Louisiana, anywhere, or New Orleans and engage in the kind of activities they would have pre-pandemic then they are mistaken and quite frankly they are not welcome here to do that," Gov. John Bel Edwards said recently.

There have been 420,000 cases of Covid-19 in Louisiana, with over 9,000 dead from the virus, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The state has administered over 750,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine so far, with about 250,000 residents receiving two doses.

Here are some of the house floats created to celebrate Mardi Gras:

Goin Down Da Bayou house

View of Goin Down Da Bayou house on February 07, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling traditional Mardi Gras activities, New Orleanians are decorating their homes and businesses to resemble Mardi Gras floats.
Erika Goldring | Getty Images
View of Goin Down Da Bayou house on February 07, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling traditional Mardi Gras activities, New Orleanians are decorating their homes and businesses to resemble Mardi Gras floats.

Krewe d'Etat house

View of the Krewe d'Etat house, created by Royal Artists, on February 07, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling traditional Mardi Gras activities, New Orleanians are decorating their homes and businesses to resemble Mardi Gras floats.
Erika Goldring | Getty Images
View of the Krewe d'Etat house, created by Royal Artists, on February 07, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling traditional Mardi Gras activities, New Orleanians are decorating their homes and businesses to resemble Mardi Gras floats.

Schitt's Streets house

A home in Lakeview is decorated with a Schitt's Creek theme on February 15, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Erika Goldring | Getty Images
A home in Lakeview is decorated with a Schitt's Creek theme on February 15, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Kraken house

The Kraken house float, on Memphis St., in Lakeview, is one of thousands in the New Orleans area decorated in celebration of Mardi Gras in Louisiana, U.S., February 7, 2021.
Kathleen Flynn | Reuters
The Kraken house float, on Memphis St., in Lakeview, is one of thousands in the New Orleans area decorated in celebration of Mardi Gras in Louisiana, U.S., February 7, 2021.

Little Mermaid house

A home on St. Charles Avenue is decorated with The Little Mermaid theme on February 13, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Erika Goldring | Getty Images
A home on St. Charles Avenue is decorated with The Little Mermaid theme on February 13, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Coach Lewis House

The Coach Lewis House, whose decorations are sponsored by Krewe of Red Beans, honors the life of the 7th Ward Mardi Gras Indian on February 15, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Erika Goldring | Getty Images
The Coach Lewis House, whose decorations are sponsored by Krewe of Red Beans, honors the life of the 7th Ward Mardi Gras Indian on February 15, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Dr. Seuss and Dr. Fauci house

A home is decorated with to honor Dr. Seuss and Dr. Fauci on February 8, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Erika Goldring | Getty Images
A home is decorated with to honor Dr. Seuss and Dr. Fauci on February 8, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Prince house

A home is decorated in honor of Prince on February 03, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Erika Goldring | Getty Images
A home is decorated in honor of Prince on February 03, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Peace and Love house

A home is decorated with a 1960s theme of peace and love on February 03, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Erika Goldring | Getty Images
A home is decorated with a 1960s theme of peace and love on February 03, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Pardi Gras house

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