While the pandemic has canceled Mardi Gras parades in the city of New Orleans, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has found a way to celebrate the cultural holiday.
The fast food chain had select restaurants decorated as Mardi Gras floats earlier this month in New Orleans, according to local news outlet WDSU-TV.
However, Popeyes began providing additional insight into how the company pulled off the festive décor in a YouTube video shared to its official channel on Thursday.
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“With Mardi Gras parades cancelled layoffs hit float builders in New Orleans,” the video’s onscreen text reads. “So we hired local artists to turn our NOLA restaurants into Mardi Gras floats.”
Popeyes hired workers from Kern Studios, a custom prop, float and parade building company, to erect the Mardi Gras-themed displays on top of each roof.
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In total, there were three rooftop floats constructed at 3100 Carrollton Avenue, 1243 St. Charles Avenue and 4238 S Claiborne Avenue.
The float design at 3100 Carrollton Avenue appears to be dedicated to city’s affinity for live music with cutouts of Mardi Gras-themed brass players and a painted character singing. The other float at 1243 St. Charles Avenue appears to be dedicated to the iconic Mardi Gras jesters with statue heads donning green, purple and yellow jester hats and masquerade masks.
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Meanwhile the Popeyes restaurant at 4238 S Claiborne Avenue has a timely float that highlights essential workers on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic. Statues of medical workers appear alongside traditional Mardi Gras cutouts, including jesters and other carnival celebrators.
The float also has murals depicting other frontline workers like army and police personnel, postal service and health employees and more.
Popeyes did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
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Mardi Gras has been celebrated in New Orleans since 1699, according to the History channel.
The holiday is also known as “Fat Tuesday,” and is a Carnival celebration that typically takes place a day before Ash Wednesday – a Christian holy day that involves prayer and fasting.
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Prior to coronavirus-related cancelations, Mardi Gras celebrations in recent years have attracted an estimated 250,000 people, according to local police forces.
