Every year, millions gather in New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras — a season known for tradition, music, connection, and yes, heavy drinking.
But on the neutral ground at Saint Charles Avenue and Napoleon Avenue, something different happens.
There, you’ll find the Sober Safe Spot Mardi Gras, a designated space where individuals in recovery can celebrate Carnival safely, joyfully, and substance-free.
Created and hosted by Avenues Recovery Center, this sober gathering has become a powerful symbol of what Mardi Gras in recovery can look like: colorful, connected, and completely alcohol-free.
The Sober Safe Spot is a designated, city-sanctioned sober gathering space during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It provides a welcoming environment for:
Attendees receive free snacks, alcohol-free drinks, merchandise, and life-saving Narcan. More importantly, they receive something even more essential — community.
For many people in early recovery, Mardi Gras can feel overwhelming. The parades, crowds, and widespread substance use can be triggering. The Sober Safe Spot creates a place where individuals can enjoy New Orleans traditions without compromising their sobriety.
The idea began in 2021 when Ashley Duncan introduced the concept while Jacie Plaisance — now Alumni Coordinator at Avenues Recovery Center in Covington — was a patient in treatment herself.
That first year, Sober Safe Spots were set up along parade routes in Jefferson Parish, with staff present to ensure safety and provide support. The initiative was such a success that city leadership reached out, asking why the effort wasn’t happening in New Orleans proper.
Soon after, the Sober Safe Spot on Saint Charles Avenue became officially sanctioned by the City of New Orleans in collaboration with Avenues Recovery Center.
What began as a grassroots recovery effort has evolved in to a five-year tradition — and a powerful movement within the New Orleans recovery community.
For someone newly sober, Mardi Gras can present unique challenges:
Without support, these triggers can increase the risk of relapse.
Addiction recovery is not just about avoiding substances —it’s about building a life where sobriety feels joyful and sustainable. Events like the Sober Safe Spot help individuals experience celebration without compromising their recovery.
As Jacie Plaisance puts it: “Mardi Gras can be celebrated without alcohol.”
The impact of the Sober Safe Spot goes far beyond parade day.
One year, volunteers noticed a woman struggling along the parade route. They approached her with compassion, offered support, and connected her with treatment resources. The following year, she returned —sober — and remains in recovery today.
Stories like this are not uncommon.
For many attendees, the Sober Safe Spot is their first experience of a strong recovery community in New Orleans. Mo Cataland, a woman in recovery, recalls attending her first parade sober shortly after moving into a sober living home.
She remembers noticing colors more vividly. She remembers paying attention to every detail of the floats. She remembers feeling emotional— not because she was overwhelmed, but because she realized she would remember the experience the next day.
She also met her first 12-step sponsor there.
For someone who once believed sobriety meant isolation and boredom, seeing people laughing, hugging, and celebrating without alcohol changed everything.
“When there’s such a big drinking community,” she shared, “there’s an equally big recovery or sober community — and it’s so important to get plugged into that.”
The Sober Safe Spot isn’t limited to Carnival season.
Avenues Recovery Center extends sober safe spaces to:
Wherever community members may need support, Avenues shows up.
This ongoing presence reinforces a critical message: recovery is not about shrinking your life. It’s about expanding it — safely.
One of the core missions behind the Sober Safe Spot Mardi Gras initiative is ending the stigma around addiction and sobriety.
Recovery is not something to hide. It is something to celebrate.
By creating visible sober spaces during major cultural events, Avenues Recovery Center helps normalize sobriety in New Orleans. It opens conversations. It creates visibility. It reminds people that recovery is possible — and that help is available.
“We’re here to love you until you can love yourself, ”Plaisance says. “And we’re here to show you the way.”
Avenues Recovery Center in Covington provides comprehensive addiction treatment for individuals ready to begin their recovery journey. Services include:
The Sober Safe Spot is part of Avenues’ broader commitment to long-term sobriety. With alumni involvement and community programming, individuals are not just treated — they are supported long after treatment ends.
Research consistently shows that strong peer support and community connection significantly improve long-term recovery outcomes. The Sober Safe Spot embodies that principle in action.
The Sober Safe Spot is open to anyone.
Whether you are:
You are welcome.
Volunteers, alumni, and community members gather throughout parade days to ensure that everyone who attends feels safe, seen, and supported.
Mardi Gras is about tradition, culture, music, and joy. None of those things require alcohol.
If you or a loved one is struggling with substance use, know that help is available. Recovery is possible — and it can include vibrant, meaningful celebrations.
At Avenues Recovery Center, we believe that sobriety should be visible, supported, and celebrated.
If you are ready to take the first step, contact Avenues Recovery Center today.