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Beginning in 2026, Lafayette's Mardi Gras parades will return to their original downtown route for the first time in decades.

The new route will start at Surrey and Simcoe Streets, travel through downtown on Jefferson Street, and end at Cajun Field.

City officials and multiple agencies are collaborating to ensure a safe and family-friendly event.

Lafayette’s Mardi Gras tradition is taking a meaningful step back to its roots.

City officials announced last week that beginning in 2026, Mardi Gras parades will again roll through downtown Lafayette — the first time the route has returned to Jefferson Street in decades.

The move reconnects the celebration with the heart of the city, where Mardi Gras festivities first began in Lafayette more than 125 years ago.

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