Tuesday, March 07, 2000
Mardi Gras party is over after neighbors complain
Unruly revelers 'a bit too much'
BY SUSAN VELA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — There will be no Mardi Gras 2001 in MainStrasse Village.
After this weekend's celebration generated an onslaught of people, arrests and complaints of nudity and public urination, the MainStrasse Village Association said Monday it's taking a break from the event that pays homage to New Orleans, Bourbon Street and drunken revelry.
Only major changes will bring back Mardi Gras in years to come, said Kathy Snyder, association president.
“We don't think it's a good thing for the community or for the city,” she said. “It's just a bit too much for a neighborhood to handle. That's about the bottom line.”
She met with city officials Monday afternoon and agreed when City Manager Greg Jarvis and Assistant City Manager Tom Steidel said the association should nix plans for another Mardi Gras.
They and other city officials had concerns about the abnormal number of complaints from residents and 53 citations and arrests for public urination, underage drinking and disorderly conduct.
Residents complained that women bared their breasts and men and women urinated in public.
“It was pretty much a drinking” fest, Mr. Steidel said. “I wouldn't want to say there was lawlessness, but there certainly was nudity. It's just not good for the city. At the very least, (they) have to take a year off.”
The city manager's office must approve a permit before the annual festival can happen.
Last weekend's Mardi Gras was the fifth annual event and attracted a record-breaking attendance of 60,000 people.
Lt. Col. Bill Dorsey, Covington police spokesman, agreed that this year's Mardi Gras was rowdier than last year's. Thirteen people were arrested and taken to jail, 24 received citations for such activities as public urination and disorderly conduct and 16 were cited for underage drinking. He did not have figures for last year.
Ms. Snyder noted that Mardi Gras' cancellation would leave many association members displeased. But some residents were already celebrating the news that there will be a reprieve next year and possibly forever.
“Oh, my God,” said Clyde Arnold, of the 500 block of Short Pershing Street. “I'm beyond pleased. You can ask any of my neighbors and they're going to be ecstatic.”
His wife, Sandy, returned home Saturday evening to find one Mardi Gras reveler urinating in their backyard. She took pictures of others doing the same against a police cruiser.
“This was the worst,” she said.
One bar owner, Jim Gilliece, owner of Chez Nora, was unaware of the cancellation.
“It's a total surprise,” he said. “No one has called me about it.” Mr. Gilliece is a former MainStrasse Association board member.
Reporter Terry Flynn contributed to this report.
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