New Orleans isn't the Only Place to Party!

For decades New Orleans has been the hot spot for Mardi Gras partiers. Every year thousands of people travel to the southern state for some fun before the start of the Lenten season. For many Midwesterners, New Orleans is not the destination of choice for their Mardi Gras celebration. The Soulard Distract in St. Louis, MO is the nation's 2nd biggest destination for Mardi Gras.
The official website for St. Louis's Mardi Gras, Mardigrasinc.com, says that up to hundreds of thousands of people attend each year, depending on the weather. Like New Orleans, Soulard's festivities include fun for all ages. On the Saturday morning before Fat Tuesday there is a parade with floats from surrounding restaurants and companies. After the parade, the streets of Soulard turn into Mardi Gras mayhem. Different companies, such as Budweiser, host party tents every year. The bars in Soulard also have their own Mardi Gras celebrations.
MardiGrasInc.com says that this year's theme is "Let the Games Begin." The floats will all be themed around board games, bar games, even mind games. So if your 21 and feel like going to Mardi Gras but cant afford the plane ticket to New Orleans, consider the 4 1/2 hour drive to the nation's second biggest party spot: St. Louis!