DAPHNE – The Daphne City Council approved a permit for the 2021 Shadow Barons Carnival parade, but said the final decision on the event, and on Mardi Gras in general, will depend on the spread of COVID-19.

The council voted unanimously on Monday, Nov. 16, to approve the application to allow the Shadow Barons to parade on Feb. 13 with a rain-out day on Feb. 14.

City Clerk Candance Antinarella told council members that local parading organizations are waiting to see whether Gov. Kay Ivey’s “Safer At Home” orders regulating activities outside the home will be modified by the time the parades are scheduled to roll.

“I’ve spoken with Shadow Barons and Apollo’s Mystic Ladies and everyone is basically waiting to see what the governor’s order is,” Antinarella said. “At this point, they want to go ahead and be approved with the anticipation of moving forward.”

Daphne Councilman Ron Scott said Daphne officials need to be ready to change plans if the coronavirus is a threat as Carnival season approaches.

“I understand that several of the Mobile parades have already been canceled, so I was just concerned that we do have some flexibility here,” Scott said.

In Fairhope, Mayor Sherry Sullivan said Wednesday, Nov. 18, that city officials are discussing the outbreak with local parade organizations.

She said krewes and Fairhope representatives plan to wait until the current Safer at Home order expires on Dec. 11 before making final plans. She said plans will depend on what restrictions are in place after Dec. 11.

Sullivan said Fairhope is holding its Christmas Parade on Dec. 4. She said the Christmas parade is over a longer route than Mardi Gras parades and brings in smaller crowds, allowing more room for social distancing.

At least 10 organizations in Mobile County have canceled parades during the Carnival season, according to reports. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said the city has not ordered parades or the entire Mardi Gras celebration canceled but left the decision to each organization.

In New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell ordered all parades in the city to be canceled during the 2021 Carnival season.

Sullivan said that if parades scheduled in Mobile at the same time as Daphne or Fairhope events are canceled, crowds could be bigger on the Eastern Shore as people drive across Mobile Bay to take part in the activities.