ST. LOUIS – The origins of Mardi Gras may stem in New Orleans, Louisiana, but St. Louis also has some deep-rooted connections to ‘Fat Tuesday.’
Back in the 1790s, the area now known as Soulard was run by an upper Louisiana surveyor named Antoine Soulard, way before the celebration was recognized in Missouri. Over 200 years later, a St. Louis local decided to host a party centered around the Lenten season tradition.
In 2023, the five-week-long celebration will draw approximately 750,000 people nationwide. The Twelfth Night kicked off on January 6 and peaks on February 25.