Most of the traditional Mardi Gras activities in New Orleans have been canceled this year because of the ongoing pandemic. But locals have spent their time and effort working on safe alternative celebrations to keep the spirit of Carnival alive—including the decoration of hundreds of houses in the style of Mardi Gras floats. The Krewe of House Floats has worked with people across the city and is listing participants on a map. Gathered below are a handful of images of this year’s socially distant “Yardi Gras,” as New Orleanians prepare for Mardi Gras on February 16.
Preparing for “Yardi Gras” in New Orleans
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![A large statue of a dinosaur wears a beaded necklace and top hat, standing in front of a decorated house.]()
Read moreA view of a home decorated to celebrate Dino Gras on January 24, 2021, in New Orleans, Louisiana. #
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![Large decorations painted like birds and flowers fill a house's front porch.]()
Read moreThe Birds of Bulbancha House, whose decorations are sponsored by the Krewe of Red Beans, honors indigenous birds of Louisiana in New Orleans on February 8, 2021. #
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![Decorated statues of two alligators and of a man holding a clarinet stand in the front yard of a house.]()
Read moreA home is decorated in honor of the former New Orleans resident and jazz clarinetist, Pete Fountain, on January 24, 2021. #
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![A cutout image of Bernie Sanders wearing mittens is placed near a rack of Mardi Gras beads.]()
Read moreA house is decorated with a figure of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont at the inauguration on January 30, 2021, in New Orleans. #
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![Two masked women wearing colorful costumes stand in front of a house.]()
Read moreNew Orleans rapper Big Freedia, named Grand Marshal of the Krewe of House Floats 2021, poses in front of the Queen of Bounce House with the homeowner on January 27, 2021. #
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![Cars drive past a line of colorful parade floats.]()
Read moreThe Floats in the Oaks event takes place in New Orleans City Park on February 4, 2021, in New Orleans. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, City Park officials assembled a stationary parade of over 40 floats from various Mardi Gras krewes for families to view safely from their cars. #
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![Cars drive past a line of colorful parade floats at night.]()
Read morePeople drive past the Floats in the Oaks event in New Orleans City Park on February 4, 2021. #
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![An image of a green fairy is placed on the porch of a house.]()
Read moreAn absinthe fairy decorates a home in the Bywater on February 8, 2021, in New Orleans. #
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![A decorated two-story house appears to have tentacles emerging from its upper windows.]()
Read moreThe kraken house, on Memphis St., is one of thousands in the New Orleans area decorated in celebration of Mardi Gras, photographed on February 7, 2021. #
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![Decorations and a large statue of a frog adorn the front of a house.]()
Read moreA view of Goin Down Da Bayou House, seen on February 7, 2021, in New Orleans #
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![Decorations of dragons and plants cover the porch of house.]()
Read moreA view of Mondo Kaya Feng Shui, whose decorations are sponsored by Krewe of Red Beans, on February 8, 2021 #
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Read moreA home is decorated in honor of Dolly Parton, with a "Vaccine, Vaccine, Vaccine, Vacciiiine!!" sign meant to evoke the lyrics of Parton's song "Jolene," on January 28, 2021, in New Orleans. #
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![A porch is decorated with oversize book covers.]()
Read moreA home is decorated with books to honor Dr. Seuss and Dr. Fauci on February 8, 2021. The book titles have been altered due to the pandemic. Titles include "Docs in Smocks," "Hop on Pop's Zoom Call," and "Oh, the Places You Won't Go!" #
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![A large decoration shaped like an alligator chef stands in front of a house.]()
Read moreA view of the Pardi Gras 2021 House, whose decorations are sponsored by Krewe of Red Beans, on February 7, 2021 #
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![A home is decorated with images of the nine Muses.]()
Read moreThe Krewe of Muses Cosmos House is seen, decorated with the Nine Muses on January 31, 2021. #
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![A man holds up a large sculpture of the face of a fictional caterpillar.]()
Read moreThom Karamus shows his papier-mâché head of the hookah-smoking caterpillar from "Alice in Wonderland," on January 14, 2021, in New Orleans. #
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![Large music notes are lifted over a bust of a bearded man in the yard of a house.]()
Read moreOversized music notes are lifted into a yard by crane to be placed next to a bust of the New Orleans musician, Dr. John, on February 3, 2021, in New Orleans. #
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![A home is decorated with a large Mardi Gras jester statute.]()
Read moreA home is decorated with a Mardi Gras–jester statue in New Orleans on January 27, 2021. #
Erika Goldring / Getty
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