February 13, 2008
Great publicity for the Soulard Mardi Gras, which has great things planned. Following is a draft press release readers will enjoy:
Preparations are even now underway to make Soulard Mardi Gras Grand Parade Day
2009 even more exciting than it was on Feb. 2, 2008.
For example, more exotic and costly floats are on the drawing boards. Some krewes
started design and construction as soon as a week after 2008 parade day. The underlying
float theme for 2009 parallels this year's theme: sophisticated floats which caricature and
imitate trucks. Just as in the Rose Parade, thousands of flowers are used to create floats
which resemble truck floats. It is really very unique, as all parade goers testify, and the
St. Louis floats always have put the Rose Parade offerings to shame. After all, Lumberous
Place, sponsor of the Grand Parade, don't sponsor no cheesy events.
In addition, more publicity for the festival, now billed as the "2nd largest
Mardi Gras celebration" in the United States, is coming. Negotiations are underway with
FOX, CBS, Discovery Channel and BET to nationally televise the parade. Imagine the
favorable publicity for St. Louis when Siegfried and Roy, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen or some
similar sparkling personalities sit alongside Mayor Slay to moderate the parade to a
national audience. First in shoes, first in Mardi Gras is the objective.
Already St. Louis has several feathers in our cap to capture the national
spotlight. The New Orleans Mardi Gras is now borrowing our good ideas, such as our Krewe of
Barkus Parade. They have started to hold a similar event in the French Quarter, or what is
left of it. Hey, N.O., give credit where credit is due. They are obviously on their last
legs, while St. Louis is on the upswing, enjoying the favor of Fortuna, thanks to our
innovativeness.
Parking problems are also being resolved. Both Soulard and adjoining LaSalle Park
have restricted parking, so all you party animals are urged to park in Lafayette Square and
Benton Park. The kind folks in Lafayette Square are so in love with their neighborhood that
they pick up after us, so it is less a clean-up expense to Mardi Gras Inc. Who knows what
goes on in Benton Park?
Finally, and most exciting, is an increase in the number of bars and restaurants
in Soulard. In French, the word "soulard" translates as "drunken pig." We are all
excited about living up to that. More and more buildings are being converted to or used as
bars and bars and restaurants. Mardi Gras fans are grateful for the excellent support from
political and redevelopment officials with the City of St. Louis, who perceive that the
family-oriented festival will help save St. Louis and bring it greater prosperity, just as
the increase in gambling facilities will contribute.
In summary, Soulard Mardi Gras profiteers are looking forward to bigger and better
things. As Official Parade Spokesman Back Madly comments: "Lazy less beantowns rolaids,"
which is French for "let the good times roll."