BATON ROUGE - Behind the scenes of Baton Rouge Mardi Gras parades, organizers work hard and spend tens of thousands of dollars.

The Spanish Town Parade, one of the city's largest, regularly draws up to 250,000 people. Robert King, of Mystic Krewe for the Preservation of Lagniappe, helps organize Spanish Town. He told WRBZ the parade costs $60,000 to $70,000 each year.

"We have to pay for our permit. We have to pay for insurance, which is high. It's nearly doubled in the last eight to nine years. Plus, we put out portalets," Said King.

In North Baton Rouge, the Krewe of Oshun, a much smaller parade, told WBRZ they spend about the same amount on similar expenses like floats, throws and rentals.

The Baton Rouge Police Department typically foots the bill for security. Chief TJ Morse, Jr., said current policy requires officers to staff any event with roadblocks.

"Last year, it was over $400,000 we spent in the month of February just on overtime for special events," said Morse, Jr.

Now, because of recent budget cuts, those security costs will likely fall on parade organizers next year. In anticipation of the change, BRPD has already begun giving estimated security costs to parade organizers.

"Next year it could be upwards of $75,000," said King. Meanwhile, Byron Washington with the Krewe of Oshun was quoted $10,000 to $15,000.

Chief Morse said the costs vary based on several factors.

"We look at the length of the parade and how many streets are going to be blocked off. We also look at the anticipated attendance. And then any previous security concerns, the history of the event, if the event has been going on for a while, or if there have been previous incidents. All that goes into a formula," said Morse.

WBRZ asked Chief Morse what would happen if a group didn't pay the added security costs. Here is what he had to say.

"If they don't have security, I think they're taking on a big liability of their own."

Both krewes told WBRZ they will have to make significant cuts to their parades next year in order to afford those estimated security costs.

Organizers discussed moving the Spanish Town Parade out of Baton Rouge back in December. For now, organizers said they're still fighting to keep the parade in the capital city.