Mardi Gras-St louis (St. Louis, Columbia: leasing, to live in, budget)

[KrazeeKrewe]

Originally Posted by billiken

Agree with all of this! The west side of the parade route is a lot rowdier too, since pretty much all the bars on that side. Pretty much the closer to all the bars in Soulard you are, the less family friendly it is.

The judges sit on the east side. That is the side of the float that the float builders make the best looking. The west side is where the hard core party hardy people are.

If you are there with the wife & kids, stick east side for the better view & safety.

[DogtownBnR]

My recommendation for families. Go to the Dog Parade the (Sunday) before the weekend of the Grand Parade. If you must hit the Grand Parade, set up shop closer to Soulard Market or farther north. Once the parade ends, make a b-line to the car, if the kids are very young. The crowds are very thick and most revelers are already drunk by then. It is a great event, but not one that I would consider 'kid friendly". I'm not sure about the Fat Tuesday parade, but that always seems more laid back. It was the one time I attended.

[aragx6]

I really do know a lot of families who go to the parade despite everything though -- you'd be, by no means, the only ones there! And the floats themselves are all pretty innocuous.

[KrazeeKrewe]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I really do know a lot of families who go to the parade despite everything though -- you'd be, by no means, the only ones there! And the floats themselves are all pretty innocuous.

There are lots of kids & families there.

[1greatcity]

Turnout for Mardi Gras was GREAT thanks to mild weather and sunshine. The huge crowds along the parade route were in great spirits. Loved it!!!

[BioMechanical]

I had a pretty good time until the sun went down, and it got cold. We decided to take the party back to the hotel at that point. The hurricanes were watered down, and had very little liquor in them for $14 a drink. Saw one fight, and saw lots of boobs Good times.

[1greatcity]

I missed seeing the first-prize float, from the Krewe of Mystic Riders of the Purple Haze. Anyone have pics?

[flynavyj]

Glad everyone had a good time. I went last year and the year before that...the actually parade was pretty darn tame, especially compared to New Orleans type of Mardi Gras, or even St. Louis Mardi Gras prior to Soulard becoming the "Awesome and Hip neighborhood" it now is. Back in the day, Mardi Gras was a tad crazy, now the only craziness I see is confined to my friends' apartment and happens late at night.

[BioMechanical]

I'm pretty new to St. Louis and don't know Soulard at all, but I think we were down by a brewery, and they had a DJ and bands were playing across the street. They were selling liquor and beer on every corner, and the crowd got pretty rowdy down there as the day wore on. Saw people falling down drunk before the parade even started

Could not believe how bad cell phone service was down there. My verizon phone did not work down there at all. I could see the Arch, and my phone didn't work.

[aragx6]

^Cell phone service isn't bad there on the other 364 days per year but when every person is on theirs hollering "Where are youuuuuu?" the towers get jammed pretty quickly.

And the brewery is Anheuser-Busch -- you should do the free tours they offer at some point.

I am so unbearably jealous that I wasn't there this year -- sounds like it was a blast!