EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — Strong winds sweeping through El Paso on Tuesday forced organizers of a Mardi Gras block party in West El Paso to make last-minute changes, including moving parts of the celebration indoors and scrapping a planned stage.
Organizers said the gusts created challenges as crews were setting up, with items blowing around and safety becoming the top priority. “While we were setting up, I mean, we had turf flying around. We had a lot of decor, flying around,” one organizer said.
Jordan Salas reports on strong winds force changes at West El Paso Mardi Gras block party (Credit: KFOX14)
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Because of the wind, organizers said they could not put up a stage and had to adjust the layout. Parts of the event were moved inside, and the outdoor setup was simplified.
“We couldn’t put up a stage because of the wind. So we had to move the party indoors,” an organizer said.
Despite the changes, the event continued and drew more people as the night went on.
One person at the event said the wind was “pretty bad, but it’s not going to hold us back.”
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Some partygoers said they were surprised by the scaled-back setup. “I was just expecting a stage. They had promised a stage but the wind I guess kind of messed that up,” one attendee said. Another added, “I wasnt expecting it to be like this but other people are enjoying it so far.”
Others said the food and indoor options helped keep the night going. “I mean as long as there’s food trucks, I’m happy you know? At the end of the day we can still go inside and still have fun,” one attendee said.
Despite the wind and last-minute changes, organizers and attendees said the celebration continued.
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