I see the video every year, cops walking down Bourbon Street, street sweepers cleaning up behind....is this for real?

Does everything shutdown at midnight??? or is this ceremonial...?

I can't believe everything shuts right down....

Midnight tonight it is over and it use to be that yes everything shuts down, and garbage detail moves in and does major cleanup, washing down streets etc.

Lent officially starts at midnight, so no more partying until after Easter

I would say it is more ceremonial. They do close down Bourbon St at midnight and kick everyone out, but there's nothing to stop you from continuing the party on Decatur Street or Frenchmen Street. Honestly though, when I lived there, I was home by 6 PM on Mardi Gras day. It's tough keeping up the energy from Thursday through to the following Tuesday!

I'm pretty sure the street sweepers head down Bourbon every night - it's just earlier on Mardi Gras!

Phew...I remember those days...very vaguely! LOL You'd rev your engines again for the next day with a morning bloody mary. We were young and foolish, but lived to tell about it! Even young and foolish, I don't think we ever made it past about 3 or 4 Mardi Gras day. No need for the street sweepers to remove us. We were hardcore partyers in those days (20 somethings pre-children) but that surpassed even our staying power!!

I heard "Tony" from the Sopranos was king of Bacchus this year. Pretty good choice!