Louisiana
Louisiana’s run with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is over. What happens to the 60-foot gator?
Louisiana knocked it out of the park in its Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in 2021, bringing a 60-foot alligator float — the longest one rolling — that stopped at one point to let singer Jon Batiste step off the float to perform live with dancers on the street.
The response to “Celebration Gator,” measured by hits on social media and Louisiana tourism sites, “went through the roof,” said Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, head of the state’s Office of Tourism.
The gator had a good run in 2022 and 2023, too.
Over the three years that the gator crawled down the streets of New York — its legs moved as it went — it reached 3 billion people worldwide and generated a publicity value of $24 million, according to the state tourism office.
The monster-sized gator, though, won’t be appearing in the Macy’s parade this year, Nungesser said. The state didn’t renew its contract with parade organizers.
Louisiana would perhaps need to come up with a new float idea or build a different “gator” should the Louisiana Office of Tourism rejoin the parade in the future. It might also be more expensive process now, Nungesser said.
So what will happen to Celebration Gator, as the float was dubbed?
“I don’t know. It’s Macy’s,” Nungesser said. “They could scrap it.”
Once Macy’s approves a float design, the presenters of the float pay Macy’s to build it, he said.
The idea for the giant alligator float came during the early days of the pandemic, Nungesser said.
The tourism staff was on a video conference and came up with the idea of using big-name parades to attract visitors to Louisiana again.
Nungesser said that Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was perfect.
“It comes right before Mardi Gras,” he said.
As it does with all the floats, Macy’s sent its own basic float ideas to Louisiana, Nungesser said.
Instead, the tourism office sent back the idea for the gator.
“We needed a wow factor,” he said.
“We went back and forth with Macy’s for three months,” Nungesser said. “I told them it was going to be the longest float to ever crawl down the streets of New York.”
The Louisiana Office of Tourism will now focus on the Rose Bowl Parade coming up on New Year’s Day 2025 in Pasadena, California. Louisiana made its debut in that parade in 2021, the same year it entered New York City.
“We want to concentrate on where we can get more bang for our buck,” Nungesser said.
In the first three years that Louisiana had a float in the Rose Bowl Parade, it reached 4.3 billion people worldwide and generated a publicity value of $39.7 million, the tourism office said.
Last year’s float, the “Celebration Riverboat,” was built by volunteers at a cost of $350,000 and featured performers Amanda Shaw, Sean Ardoin and James Burton.
The theme for the 2025 Rose Bowl Parade will be “Best Night Ever.”
Louisiana’s float — still to be designed — will be about “Saturday night in Louisiana,” Nungesser said.
“It will be about Tiger Stadium and all the festivals and fairs we have throughout the state,” he said.
Yasin Gungor
19 April 2026•Update: 19 April 2026
At least eight children were killed and two others were wounded in a shooting in the US state of Louisiana, local police said Sunday.
Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said officers responded to the shooting just after 6 am (1100GMT), following a domestic disturbance call.
The age of the deceased ranged from one to 14 years, he said, adding that the incident involved at least 10 individuals across four separate locations.
The suspect attempted to flee by carjacking a vehicle and driving to neighboring Bossier City, where police located and shot him dead.
Bordelon said Shreveport police officers pursued the suspect’s vehicle into Bossier, where three officers discharged their firearms, killing him. He said investigators believe the suspect was the only person who opened fire at the locations.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the attack as “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” adding: “It’s a terrible morning.”
No immediate information was available about the condition of the injured.
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When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
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