Shares0Share with your friendsYour NameYour EmailRecipient EmailEnter a MessageI read this article and found it very interesting, thought it might be something for you. The article is called St. Louis: The other Mardi Gras and is located at https://www.cheaptickets.com/blog/2016/02/st-louis-the-other-mardi-gras/.CaptchaSubmit Ally MarottiFebruary 8, 2016 1 Comment Celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans is definitely an event for the bucket list, but party-goers have to be all in. Plane tickets are more expensive, hotels are hard to find, and there certainly aren’t a lot of deals going on during the festivities. Luckily for the cash-strapped imbibers, New Orleans isn’t the only Mardi Gras Mecca. Fat Tuesday turns into a month-long event in St. Louis, starting with family-friendly wintercarnivals in January and culminating in a grand parade and party the weekend before the anticipated night. Heading to this much more centrally located and not as highly sought-after destination will save you a pretty penny without cutting into the merriment of the festivities. St. Louis skyline. Photo: Dave Herholz – Flickr. The weekend leading up to Mardi Gras Feb. 9 is a flurry of activity. It starts with the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Ball on Friday, Feb. 5, a black-tie gala with tickets starting at $150 and reaching up to $3,000. Attendees dawn their formal Mardi Gras garb and head for the St. Louis City Hall Rotunda, for a night filled with food, cocktails, entertainment and dancing. Proceeds benefit the Mardi Gras Foundation, which works to improve the downtown area. Mardi Gras beads fly toward the crowd during the parade in St. Louis. Photo: Dave Herholz – Flickr Next comes the Bud Light Grand Parade,starting at Busch Stadium at 11 a.m. Saturday and ending at Anheuser-Busch Brewery. More than 100 floats will move through the streets, tossing more than 10 million strands of beads into the pre-Lent celebrations. The festivities take over Soulard, St. Louis’ historically French neighborhood about two miles from downtown. Knowing about the stomping grounds is key to the Mardi Gras experience. The city’s oldest neighborhood, it is named after Antoine Soulard, who first started developing the land. He came to America as a refugee from the French Revolution in the 1790s. Mardi Gras festivities take over St. Louis’ historic Soulard neighborhood. Photo: Dave Herholz – Flickr There’s a huge block party throughout Soulard Feb. 6, with tents featuring live music, beer and snacks in designated spots. Bud Light sponsored most of those too, so look for the beer signs. If the weather isn’t as welcoming for a block party as you’d prefer, head for the Bud Light Party Tent in Soulard Market Park. It’s $100 to get in, but that comes with nine hours of DJs and open bars. They also allow re-entry, so you can jump around. Saturday is the largest party day, but keep an eye out for Mardi Gras deals throughout town all weekend, especially at the bars and restaurants throughout Soulard. The St. Louis Blues win. Photo: Dave Herholz – Flickr If you stay in town through Fat Tuesday, you’re sure to find some smaller celebrations throughout the week. The St. Louis Blues are playing the Winnipeg Jets Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Scottstrade Center, and the city has dubbed it Fat Bluesday. If you go to the Bud Light Tent Saturday and plan on going to the Blues game, you can get a combo ticket and save some cash. The concourse will be full of Mardi Gras-themed games and live music. Tagged: City, Festivals, Food & drink, FREE!, Holidays, Last minute travel, Seasonal Note: CheapTickets compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site. Bio Latest Posts Ally Marotti Latest posts by Ally Marotti (see all) Free tapas: An insider look at Spain’s tastiest dining tradition - October 25, 2016 Cheap Right Now: San Juan, Puerto Rico in October - October 5, 2016 6 cheap hotels in San Diego you’ll actually want to stay in - September 9, 2016 Related Posts Awesome Mardi Gras parties that aren’t in New Orleans By Kelly Aiglon CheapTickets BBQ Smackdown By Kelsie Ozamiz Cheap Right Now: Rome in September By Ally Marotti Cheap of the Month: Columbus in July By Ally Marotti
Shares0Share with your friendsYour NameYour EmailRecipient EmailEnter a MessageI read this article and found it very interesting, thought it might be something for you. The article is called Awesome Mardi Gras parties that aren’t in New Orleans and is located at https://www.cheaptickets.com/blog/2015/02/awesome-mardi-gras-parties-that-arent-in-new-orleans/.CaptchaSubmit Kelly AiglonFebruary 11, 2015 Leave a comment The Big Easy might be “it” when it comes to Mardi Gras. But it definitely isn’t the only. Colorful celebrations happen across the U.S. — and they come with a lot of the same bells and whistles you get in the French Quarter. We’re talking Zydeco bands, great Cajun food and parades that seem to go on for days. Oh, yes, and beads. Lots of ’em. If you can’t hop a flight to New Orleans, save some cash and hit a party near you. Here are six of our top picks. MOBILE, ALABAMA NOLA’s southern neighbor hosts a dizzying 39 parades over 19 days. Standing idly byisn’t an option; onlookers clamor for beads or go for the ultimate catch: moon pies (chocolate-coated graham cracker cookies with marshmallow in the center). Apart from parade mania, touring the local Carnival Museum is a must and puts the partying in perspective by showcasing the history of Mardi Gras and how it originated in Mobile. For a real insider feel, grab a ticket to a Mardi Gras ball. It’s not uncommon for Mobillians to have a closet full of ball gowns and for men to own a set of tails. Most balls are invite-only, but some bigger groups, like Mystics of Time and Stripers, may open ticket sales to the general public. Mardi Gras celebrations are held through Feb. 17. UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT – ORLANDO, FLORIDA If you’re traveling with kids, this tamer celebration is the one to hit. After all, it takes place on Universal Studios property — home to the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The spirit of N’awlins sweeps in from February 7-April 18, when days in the theme parks are capped off with Cajun food, a parade and live concerts. Every week there’s a major headliner, and this year’s lineup includes Jessie J, Kelly Clarkson and Trey Songz. On a smaller stage, New Orleans bands bring Bayou sound to the scene. SOULARD – ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI On any given day, jazz and blues music steams from the many nightclubs in St. Louis’ Soulard neighborhood. It gets especially happening during Mardi Gras, which the historic French district actually turns into a month-long affair (January 6-February 17). Parades wend past the Anhauser Busch Brewery, Cajun cook-offs add sizzle, and even dogs get involved; on the second Sunday before Mardi Gras there is a pet parade (yep, the pups get dressed up, sparkly boas and all). Anyone is free to have a float in the parade, as long as you register your “krewe” (organizations, clubs or groups of friends). That said, it’s just as fun standing on the sidelines, cheering on the drag racers, musicians and costumed merry-makers. MAGIC HAT – BURLINGTON, VERMONT For 20 years, local brewery Magic Hat has thrown a Mardi Gras shindig, which is known for its parade down Main Street. Trumpets blare, jugglers wow, floats roll by and drums keep the beat as hundreds of people look (and drink) on. The parade is followed by after-parties on Church Street and throughout downtown Burlington. For true local flavor, venture a few minutes from downtown to Magic Hat’s Brewery and Artifactory, where tours are led and revelry is at a peak. Not only is this Mardi Gras a fantastic party, but it’s one with a purpose: This year’s proceeds benefit the Vermont Foodbank. Held Feb. 27-Mar. 1. THE GASLAMP QUARTER – SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA The second largest Fat Tuesday celebration in the U.S. is more street party than cultural immersion — but it’s alluring all the same. The GasLamp Quarter, with blocks of bars, clubs and restaurants, is San Diego’s major entertainment district. On February 17, it kicks into overdrive with five outdoor stages, DJs and a night parade with bands, floats, classic cars, belly dancers and Brazilian entertainment that could rival that of Carnival. Snoopadelic headlines the event, so crowds are expected to be thicker than a bowl of gumbo. BRECKENRIDGE MOUNTAIN – BRECKENRIDGE, COLORADO More than 15 years ago, a group ofNew Orleanians moved to this mountain paradise and brought a little bit of NOLA with them. Their modest celebration has expanded to the whole town of Breckenridge and includes live music, fire dancers and snow play. On Fat Tuesday, several blocks of Main Street shut down for a street party featuring Chris Daniels & the Kings, a jazz and swing act that’s performed with B.B. King. Larger-than-life puppets and harlequin-masked bon vivants light up the night as the sun sets behind the peaks of Breckenridge Ski Resort. New Orleans-themed food and drink specials are available at restaurants throughout town. Held Feb. 17. Story by Kelly Aiglon Tagged: California, Cheap Tips, City, Events, Festivals, Florida, FREE!, Holidays, Last minute travel, Music, Off-season, Seasonal Note: CheapTickets compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site. Bio Latest Posts Kelly Aiglon Latest posts by Kelly Aiglon (see all) America’s most classic diners - April 23, 2015 Cheap City, USA: Milwaukee - April 13, 2015 Eating cheap (and good!) in San Francisco - March 4, 2015 Related Posts St. Louis: The other Mardi Gras By Ally Marotti Beyond the beach: 5 free things to do in Florida By Dalia Colon 7 over-the-top holiday light displays you gotta see By Dalia Colon Budget hotels with some serious views By Ally Marotti