One of the area’s biggest public parties of the year takes place in the Soulard neighborhood this weekend.
Organizers of the Mardi Gras celebration are expecting more than 100 units and 2000 people in the River City Grand Parade Saturday. It’s the 33rd year for the event, which has grown to become one of the largest Mardi Gras parties in the country. Spokesman Mack Bradley says they’ve worked hard to make sure the event is fun – and safe – for everyone.
"You want people to come and have a great time and go home safely. So we work hand-in-glove with the police department every year, we have additional security of our own that we hire for a variety of things including the parade route itself," Bradley said.
The theme of the parade is "Famous Threesomes."
"You're going to see lots of interesting floats on Saturday," Bradley said. "We've got the Three Blind Mice and the Three Musketeers and the Three Amigos and stuff like that, but it's Mardi Gras so we also have Three Sheets to the Wind and Bill, Hillary and Monica."
The parade steps off Saturday at 11 a.m. near Busch Stadium and moves south on Broadway to Soulard.
