City of Mobile to delay issuance of Mardi Gras parade permits

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The City of Mobile has announced Friday afternoon they will be delaying parade permits due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This news comes after the Medical Society of Mobile County sent a letter to the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency and Mayor Sandy Stimpson, urging them to cancel parades. Doctors with the Medical Society of Mobile County, the Mobile County Health Department, and the Chief Medical Officer’s with three of Mobile’s hospitals signed the letter.

Coronavirus cases continue to rise across the state. Friday, Alabama recorded more than 3,000 daily cases.

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 In light of new guidance this week from the Medical Society of Mobile County urging cities not to issue parade permits due to the potential spread of COVID-19, as well as State Health Officer Scott Harris’s similar guidance today, the City of Mobile will be delaying the issuance of parade permits for the 2021 Carnival Season until further notice.  

First and foremost, I want to thank the Medical Society and Dr. Harris for their guidance as well the input we have received from the Mobile County Health Department and the chief medical officers of our four local hospital systems since the COVID-19 pandemic began.  

Just yesterday, our team members spoke with those CMOs about the significant impact COVID-19 is currently having on their hospital capacity and staff. Over the past three weeks, we have also seen cases rise in our community at a higher rate than we have in several months.

Recently, we have been working with many Carnival associations directly to provide guidance and additional flexibility in their planning process, and several of these organizations have already made their own determinations not to roll next year.  

As we have since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to monitor the situation locally and make determinations based on the latest information and guidance from public health officials. We are also open to the idea of revisiting the issuance of parade permits in the future if the present situation changes.  

While our celebration may look different next year, we are the birthplace of Mardi Gras, and I believe we are creative enough to observe this important tradition while also protecting the health and safety of Mobilians and the frontline healthcare workers that serve our community. 

— Mayor Sandy Stimpson  

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