The city of New Orleans continues to enforce its “don’t set up for the parade more than four hours before it’s start time” rule, and city officials believe it is going well.
Some would-be parade watchers were miffed when told to clear their gear from the St. Charles Ave. neutral ground last week. New Orleans Parks & Parkways director Michael Karam, though, says most of the people they have to correct here on the route have been cool with it
“Most everyone’s pretty reasonable and understanding to keep all items: chairs, ladders, tarps, ice chests off of the neutral ground” until four hours before the first parade begins, Karam told WWL’s Tommy Tucker.
He explained that streetcars still need to run. But even in areas without streetcar tracks, like Napoleon and Orleans avenues, the city says the only way to save your spot is to just stand there by yourself.
Karam says he has encountered plenty of people who have chosen that route, as early as 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
“There are a number of people out here on Napoleon, just standing up and waiting for the next eight or so hours,” he said. “That’s up to them.”