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The outlandish "1984" float of the Mystic Knights of the Purple Haze Krewe rolled along Market Street in Downtown St. Louis for the Fat Tuesday Parade.
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Mystic Knights of the Purple Haze Krewe member Nino and his mother Joyce Albanese at the staging area in front Soldier's Memorial prior to the start of the parade.
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Bubbles, Beads and More Beads Fly at the Fat Tuesday Parade in Downtown St. Louis
by Bob Moore, SLFP.com
© 2007 Saint Louis Front Page
St. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), February 20, 2007 - The crowd was definitely smaller and better behaved than at last year's Fat Tuesday Parade in downtown St. Louis. However, boisterous Mardi Gras revelers came prepared to celebrate the last big party before Lent begins on Wednesday.
The eclectic JOIA Samba Percussion group stepped off, at 6:30 p.m., at the intersection of Tucker and Market Street near City Hall, followed by the Soulard Mardi Gras theme float. Screaming for beads, yelling and laughing, families and friends enjoyed watching twenty colorfully lit floats from the Mardi Gras Grand Parade in Soulard, Saturday, February 17, roll past tall buildings to Seventh Street.
The crowd cheered as each float weaved slowly from one side of the street to the other side while Krewe members threw beads to outstretched hands.
The Mystic Krewe of the Purple Haze was greeted with great enthusiasm for their winning float. A flashing "1984" on the front of the futuristic float paid tribute to the 'celebration of literature' theme. Music of Jimmy Hendrix blasted from speakers as bubbles and smoke burst into the night air.
One very big difference from the Saturday parade was the temperature where Mardi Gras revelers braved blowing snow and freezing cold. The forty plus night air for the Fat Tuesady Parade was quite balmy, even for February.
This year as in the past, there had been plenty of warnings about a zero tolerance policy on underage drinking. It may have also kept the number of beer vendors down and created more of a family-friendly atmosphere for the event.
After all, it is all about catching beads and having fun. As the last horns sounding and the drum beats came to an end shortly after 7 p.m., the crowd thinned quickly, leaving behind broken beads, empty cups and fonds memories of another successful Fat Tuesday Parade.
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Krewe members throw beads over a brightly lit St. Louis cityscape featuring brick houses, tall buildings, Gateway Arch and the old Busch Memorial Stadium.
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The Martin family from Festus, Missouri and Melissa Rapelje (far right) enjoyed catching beads.
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Moolah Shrine wild and crazy members roared past the crowd in their bright yellow Yo-Yo cars.
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Wearing their Mardi Gras best, onlookers drew as much attention as the floats.
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