“Friday night makes so much more sense,” said Debbie Dyer, who signed an online petition titled Bring Mardi Gras Back to Friday Night. There were 673 petitioners as of Tuesday morning. 

“If it’s on Wednesday, kids would have to go home early as they have school the next day, and more parents would have to work than on a Saturday. Out of towners arrive Friday for the weekend, not for the Wednesday Street Party. 

Petitioner Tamara Stanke said; “what a joke. A huge percentage of Mount Isa locals can’t enjoy rodeo events on a week night. 

“(It would) make Friday night better for families with major events and entertainment.” 

Petitioner Amanda Potter said; “I want Mardi Gras on Friday night where it belongs. Families will be able to enjoy it together as it has been in the past.” 

The Mount Isa City Council confirmed the addition of the Mardi Gras event into its street party in the central business district on the Wednesday night before rodeo. This press release was sent about 14 hours after ABC published mayor Joyce McCulloch’s confirmation of its return, despite The North West Star’s interest in the topic in a published article last week.

Community groups could march but vehicle sizes would be limited, the mayor said. 

“We can't turn back time and relive past Mardi Gras’, but we can look towards the future and make some positive changes,” Cr McCulloch said, as quoted in the council press release. 

Similiar timing between the mayor’s announcement to ABC and a press release sent to this publication the following morning happened with the reveal of national performer Jessica Mauboy headlining the street party.

Former deputy mayor Brett Peterson said he was pleased the community would not lose the Mardi Gras, and saw it as a positive decision that it had been returned to the CBD. “However, I hope those commercial based businesses that benefit from the mardi gras do put back into it to make it a bigger event.”