Popular krewe drops out of Galveston Mardi Gras events due to pandemic

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Knights of Momus, Galveston's oldest Mardi Gras krewe, announced Tuesday that it will not participate in the 2021 celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group is widely known for hosting the Grand Night Parade, Coronation and Ball for Mardi Gras in Galveston.

"This unanimous decision of the executive committee was motivated by our stewardship of Momus and Mardi Gras and was made after careful deliberations. The health and safety of the public and of our members was of primary importance," said Kenneth Shelton, Jr., chairman of the executive committee of the Knights of Momus. "We had hoped we might find some safe way to hold the events, but the current surge in cases entering the holiday season rendered this hope untenable and the risks unmanageable. Further, while the existence of the vaccine holds promise for the future, it will likely make the public feel less at risk and thus more prone to risky behavior."

The group also noted other significant Mardi Gras events have been canceled in Galveston including the San Luis Salute, hosted annually by the Fertitta family since 1996.

Both events are scheduled to return to Mardi Gras in Galveston in 2022, according to the news release.

This news comes hours after the city of New Orleans canceled all 2021 Mardi Gras parades.

The video above is from a previous post.