Mardi Gras Celebrations Across the U.S.A.

Last week we took a look at some of the different ways that other countries celebrate Mardi Gras, and today we're scouring the United States for celebrations of the holiday that might be almost as fun as the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl. (It's a tough party to top! You can win a FREE PUB CRAWL PACKAGE by signing up on our website!) First, we'll see how other cities observe Mardi Gras, then we'll give you all the juicy details about our very own awesome pub crawl at the Lake of the Ozarks.   

New Orleans, Louisiana
When discussing Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States, you might as well start with the most famous one in New Orleans. Most of the other celebrations around the country get their best ideas from this famous town's parties and events. Parades with elaborate floats and fantastically costumed people are watched by spectators anxious to catch beads and other treats being thrown. Formal balls are also held, as well as many not-so-formal parties.  

Mardi Gras masks can be worn by anyone wishing to put one on, but it's a law that anyone riding on a float must wear a mask. King cakes are the ultimate Mardi Gras dessert in New Orleans, which is a round, cinnamon-sugar filled pastry topped with icing sugared in purple, green, and yellow. Inside the cake, a small plastic baby is hidden to signify the baby Jesus, and the person finding it is granted good luck.  

Mobile, Alabama 
Mobile, not New Orleans, is home to the very first Mardi Gras celebration in our country. It first took place in 1703, while New Orleans didn't establish their annual event for another 15 years! Popular traditions here include a 150-foot fire-breathing dragon named Vernadean and the throwing of Moon Pies to the parade crowds. 

Pensacola, Florida
This town's events are more light-hearted and family-oriented than a lot of other venues. It's one of the oldest Mardi Gras celebrations in the U.S.A. having started in 1874. In addition to throwing beads and coins to spectators during their parades, Moon Pies are also thrown. 

Tampa, Florida
Tampa has been holding an annual event inspired by Mardi Gras known as the Gasparilla Pirate Festival since 1904. It's coined as a "friendly invasion by mythical pirate José Gaspar and his crew." Three parades are held during the festival season of late January-early March, one of which is an invasion fleet boat parade.  

Hollywood, California
A part of the Mardi Gras festivities in Hollywood, in addition to live entertainment and Creole food, include Fiesta Tropicale. This emerged from a tradition that started in 1935 as Fiesta of the Nations which celebrated different cultures featuring performances by costumed children. A big parade is held for this event through the downtown business district.   

La Crosse, Wisconsin
They have only been celebrating officially since 1991. It began as a fundraising project to provide assistance for Catholic School tuition in the area. Today, their events also provide funding for the Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the USA, the Boys & Girls Clubs, and the YMCA. The town hosts a formal costume ball plus a family festival for the community. 

St. Louis, Missouri
Closer to home for us is the very popular and very large St. Louis celebration centered around Soulard. It's said that the legacy is linked to the founding of St. Louis by French fur traders back in 1764. Many people that attend that can also be found at our very own world's largest pub crawl right here at the Lake of the Ozarks!

St. Louis that will host events from January 6-March 5 this year. The most popular part of their celebration happens around the Soulard neighborhood. (For 2019, this will take place on February 23-24, so you can enjoy it and still make it to the Lake Pub Crawl the weekend before!) In addition to a New Orleans-inspired parade for adults, some family-friendly activities are scheduled. These include a "Krewe of Barkus" pet parade followed by Wiener dog races.      

Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
A trip to mid-Missouri is a must at Mardi Gras time because the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl is an absolute blast and it gets bigger and better every single year! In 2018, there were 17 stops at bars and restaurants along the pub crawl route with 32 buses safely transporting party-goers from the historic Bagnell Dam Strip in Lake Ozark to the far end of Osage Beach. 

As we mentioned earlier, the 2019 Lake Pub Crawl is happening on Saturday, February 16. A $10 wristband gets you into every participating venue, each featuring their own live music. You also get a safe, sober ride on all of the pub crawl buses from 4:00 pm in the afternoon until 2:30 am the next morning. 

That date is going to be here a lot sooner than you realize, so it's time to start planning your trip now! Hotel specials have recently been added to the website at www.LakePubCrawl.com. If you'd like to be notified as more plans are finalized, text "LAKEPUBCRAWL" to 71441 to receive updates sent directly to your phone. Don't forget to visit our website to sign up for a FREE PUB CRAWL PACKAGE, and while you're there, sign up for our email newsletter too. That way, you won't miss a single thing!   

TEXT "LakePubCrawl" to 71441 for updates about 

the Lake of the Ozarks Pub Crawl

To keep up with the latest news:

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If you need additional information, contact us at info@lakepubcrawl.com

Brought to you by the

Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

Mardi Gras Celebrations Around The World

The Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans are probably the most famous in the United States (although the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl is doing our best to gain on their popularity!) This fantastic holiday is also celebrated all around the world. Here is a look at some of the different things you could expect to see if you travel outside of the country during Mardi Gras. 

Rio de Janiero, Brazil
This celebration is labeled as the world's biggest Carnival. According to the calendar, their events last for 5 days, but the parties can begin months before that! It takes place in the peak of summer in South America with wildly elaborate balls, uninhibited dancing, flashy costumes, and huge, glittery parades. Dozens of samba schools compete in a famous competition consisting of costumes, choreography, and percussion. 

Venice, Italy
The Carnevale di Venezia has old roots with the first one taking place in the year 1162. Fancy costumes are worn, huge balls are thrown, and they are extremely well-known for the elaborate masks that are worn. There are also many carnivals, street plays, fireworks, concerts, and dances all over. A water procession with rowers wearing masks in decorated boats takes place on the Grand Canal. The "official" end to the celebration happens on Shrove Tuesday.  
 
Cadiz, Spain
This town imported many of its traditions surrounding this holiday from Venice. Carnival was abolished at many different times during the history of Spain, but it has always thrived in Cadiz. The locals roast prohibitions and politicians, and huge groups of people roam the streets singing songs mocking current events and prominent figures. They are renowned for the papier mache figurines and satirical songs common at the events.  

Binche, Belgium
All of Belgium observes Fat Tuesday, but the most famous of these celebrations take place in Binche. Rather than throwing beads to parade spectators, masked performers throw oranges into the crowds as a symbol of spring. Red costumes and wooden clogs are worn and people dance with brooms to chase away evil spirits. A pre-festival tradition is a breakfast of oysters and champagne.  

Nice, France
This 15-day festival is built around blossoms. There are flower battles and parades with floats made only of flowers. People in the parade wear costumes and have been known to throw flowers like mimosas, gerberas, and lilies to the parade watchers. 

Oruro, Bolivia
This is an obscure carnival celebration that has survived since pre-colonial days. It was originally based on a ceremony of giving thanks to Pachamama (Mother Earth) but eventually integrated with traditional Catholic carnival traditions. It takes place throughout the 8 days preceding Ash Wednesday. There is a procession with 2 figures dressed as a condor and a bear along with masked dancers in red cloaks with horns, bulging eyes, and fangs portraying devils following figures of Satan and Lucifer. This parade leads to a football stadium where 2 medieval plays are enacted. The first is about the brutal Spanish conquistadores and the second portrays the archangel Michael defeating the devils and the 7 deadly sins.    

Cologne, Germany
Some celebrations last days, others a few weeks, but here they begin on November 11 and keep the parties going all the way to Fat Tuesday! It is referred to as "crazy days." Some highlights include the burning of a straw figure, a rose parade, and lots of drinking. As a matter of fact, during this time the closing times for pubs and bars are suspended. 

Quebec, Canada
The official mascot for this carnival is Bonhomme who happens to be a giant snowman. There are lots of sporty competitions including dog sled races. Lots of ice and snow sculptures are made everywhere. It doesn't contain the flashy costumes of most Mardi Gras celebrations, but there is a snow bath where people can celebrate indoors in their swimsuits. 

Mardi Gras in the U.S.A.
Mardi Gras is celebrated all across the United States. A lot of the parties are similar in nature, but a few have their own special characteristics that make them stand apart from the rest. Next week's blog will take a closer look at some of the most interesting celebrations, including the world's largest pub crawl that takes place in mid-Missouri at the Lake of the Ozarks! 

The 2019 Lake Pub Crawl is happening on Saturday, February 16. A $10 wristband gets you into every participating venue, each featuring their own live music. You also get a safe, sober ride on all of the pub crawl buses from 4:00 pm in the afternoon until 2:30 am the next morning. 

We'll get into more detail about that next week. In the meantime, sign up for our newsletter at www.LakePubCrawl.com and text "LAKEPUBCRAWL" to 71441 to receive information sent directly to your phone. It's the biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks and you definitely do not want to miss it! 

TEXT "LakePubCrawl" to 71441 for updates about 

the Lake of the Ozarks Pub Crawl

To keep up with the latest news:

Follow us on Twitter

LIKE us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Check out our Website

If you need additional information, contact us at info@lakepubcrawl.com

Brought to you by the

Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

Add 5 GREAT Lake Pub Crawl Perks to Your “I’m Thankful For” List This Year

Thanksgiving is the time to reflect on all of the things in life that we are thankful for. We're sure that one of the items on your list is the Annual Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl! To help you fill out that list a little more, here are 5 additional items to add pertaining to the biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks. 

#1 - You Don't Have to Drive
When you plan the world's largest pub crawl, that's a lot of lake area to cover. Since a large portion of the evening involves alcoholic beverages, we wanted to make sure that there was a way for everyone to enjoy themselves without having to worry about finding a volunteer to be the sober chauffeur. After all, this event only comes around once a year!

For the price of a $10 wristband, we provide transportation on our Lake Pub Crawl buses from 4:00 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2019, through the wee hours of Sunday morning. (That wristband gets you into every bar & restaurant too!) Not only are there safe buses to transport you to every stop, but there are over 30 buses running continuously so that you don't have to wait very long when you're ready to go. Stops are also made at hotels along the route and most off-route hotels and resorts offer a shuttle of their own to get you to the pub crawl. That means you don't even need your car keys to get to the event!  

#2 - Live Music Everywhere You Go
Every single bar and restaurant on the Lake Pub Crawl route will feature some type of the best live music at the Lake of the Ozarks. There are quite a few extremely talented musicians that perform in the lake area, and you'll hear many of them during your travels around the pub crawl. There will be DJs and bands playing a wide variety of all kinds of music, so you're bound to hear quite a few acts you will absolutely love, no matter what type of music you're into.  

#3 - It Provides Winter Excitement
Every year this particular Lake of the Ozarks annual event draws a crowd to town in mid-February the likes of which you only expect to see around here in the height of the summer season. If anyone ever told you that the lake area is no fun in the winter, then they've obviously never been to our Mardi Gras Pub Crawl!   

#4 - You Could Go For FREE!
We are giving away an all-inclusive Lake Pub Crawl package to a lucky winner, and all you have to do is visit www.LakePubCrawl.com and sign up! As long as you do that before the drawing being held on February 8, 2019, you will be entered to win:

• 2 Event Wristbands
• 2 Lake Pub Crawl T-Shirts
• A 1-Night Hotel Stay
• A variety of gift certificates to participating bars. 

#5 - It's Easy To Stay Updated
Sure, the Lake Pub Crawl is still a few months away, but believe us, February 16, 2019, is going to get here a lot sooner than you'd expect! The closer it gets to the actual date, the best hotels will begin filling up fast. The sooner you begin making plans with all of your friends to be here, the better! 

To make sure that you are always kept up-to-date on everything involving all of the pub crawl fun, we've got a few easy ways to do just that. To receive text messages sent directly to your phone, simply text "LAKEPUBCRAWL" to 71441. If you prefer a monthly email update, you can sign up for our Lake Pub Crawl newsletter on the website. Last, but certainly not least, follow us on your favorite social media channels. From there you can share posts with friends, ask questions, make comments, and keep the excitement for this upcoming event going strong.  

Like we mentioned above, February will be here before you know it! Start making plans now to meet all of your friends at the 2019 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl. It's a party you DO NOT want to miss!      

TEXT "LakePubCrawl" to 71441 for updates about 

the Lake of the Ozarks Pub Crawl

To keep up with the latest news:

Follow us on Twitter

LIKE us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Check out our Website

If you need additional information, contact us at info@lakepubcrawl.com

Brought to you by the

Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

Sponsor Slots Available for the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl 2019

The Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl 2019 is just around the corner. In addition to being an incredible chance to get out and have a great time, it's also an excellent opportunity to advertise your business. A LOT of people come into town to experience the biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks and they would love to know more about you. 

Banner Ads
The next Lake Pub Crawl is only a few months away, set for Saturday, February 16, 2019. The majority of attendees will visit our website - www.LakePubCrawl.com - and most of them will go to it more than once! There is a "Sponsors" page that features everyone that is helping to make the world's biggest pub crawl a reality. Having your business featured here offers a lot of exposure for your company.  

To make your business stand really stand out, you can also purchase banner ads at the top of the homepage so that your business is one of the first things website visitors see. There are more banner ads available at the top of the other website pages too. It's first-come, first-served with these banner ads, so you'll want to get yours at the top of the most visited pages before someone else beats you to it!  

Additional Exposure
A lot of advertising will go into making sure that as many people as possible hear all about this great event, and sponsors will be mentioned in many different ways. In addition to the website, monthly newsletters are emailed to thousands of people interested in the Lake Pub Crawl, and more are continuously signing up to be on the mailing list. There are just as many people signed up to receive text alerts about this event too.  

The Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl also has a strong online presence through popular social media channels. Weekly blogs on various subjects surrounding the event are currently being featured, and there are future plans to showcase our sponsors in a few of those blogs. So you see, sponsoring this amazing annual event at the Lake of the Ozarks can get your name out in a variety of ways to multitudes of lake visitors.     
   

Bars & Restaurants
The sponsors that get tons and tons of attention are the bars and restaurants that choose to be a stop for the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl. In addition to having your name on all of the Lake Pub Crawl maps and being showcased on the website, attendees will be showing up, taking photos, and sharing them on all of the popular social media channels. That's FREE advertisement for your venue simply because you know how to show our pub crawlers a good time! 

Contact Us
If you'd like more information about becoming a sponsor for the 2019 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl, please contact: 

• Chelsea Hayes at Chelsea@lakeareachamber.com
• KC Cloke at Kcloke@lakeareachamber.com
• Lake Area Chamber of Commerce - (573) 964-1008

They will be able to answer any questions you may have and give you the details you need to become a part of this exciting Lake of the Ozarks event. 

TEXT "LakePubCrawl" to 71441 for updates about 

the Lake of the Ozarks Pub Crawl

To keep up with the latest news:

Follow us on Twitter

LIKE us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Check out our Website

If you need additional information, contact us at info@lakepubcrawl.com

Brought to you by the

Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

You Could Win a FREE Mardi Gras Pub Crawl Experience at the Lake of the Ozarks!

Anyone who enjoys having a good time with great people, awesome live music, fantastic drinks, and an entire day full of excitement needs to make sure they are at the biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks. This party, which also happens to be the world's largest pub crawl, is the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl, and we're giving you a chance to attend for FREE!

Enter To Win
A wristband to get you into all of the venues and a ride on all of the busses for the Mardi Gras Pub Crawl at the Lake of the Ozarks on Saturday, February 16, 2019, is just $10. If you're coming from out of town, you'll need to book a hotel room, plus there's the cost of drinks and food while you're out. Oh, and you're going to need something awesome to wear, too. After a while, that all starts adding up, so we're giving some very lucky people a great big bunch for FREE STUFF to take care of some of those costs!

It's easy and absolutely FREE to enter our incredible Lake Pub Crawl Giveaway. Simply visit www.LakePubCrawl.com and enter your name, birthdate (because you've gotta be at least 21 to enter,) email address, and phone number. Once that's done, you will be entered into a drawing which will take place on February 8, 2019. (Yes, it's that easy!) The lucky winners will receive:

• 2 Wristbands to the Event
• 2 Mardi Gras Pub Crawl 2019 T-shirts
• A Variety of Gift Certificates to Participating Venues
• A 1-Night Hotel Stay 

What Happens at the Lake Pub Crawl?
For anyone unfamiliar with what exactly happens at the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl (where have you been?) here is a quick rundown of the excitement that awaits you. The purchase of a $10 wristband gives you access to:  

• LOTS of Pub Crawl Stops - Last year's pub crawl included 18 bars and restaurants on the route. You can expect many of those same places to join us again this year, and possibly even a few new lake area hot spots!  
• Unlimited Entertainment - Each of the stops on the Lake Pub Crawl will host the best live music at the Lake of the Ozarks. Talented bands and DJs will be set up at each spot, keeping the party going all night long.  
• Safe & Sober Transportation - More than 30 busses will be traveling the pub crawl route from 4:00 pm in the afternoon until 2:30 am in the morning to make sure everyone gets where they are going safely. Leave your car keys at home and let us be your sober chauffeur for the evening! 
• Hotel Discounts - You don't have to buy a wristband to take advantage of some great hotel packages happening over the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl weekend, but if you're in town anyway, you might as well join us! Lots of hotels, motels, and resorts in town will be offering special discounts for this event. If they are on the pub crawl route, our busses will pick up and drop off at that location, and if they're not, ask if they will have a shuttle to get you here. (Most do!) 

Stay Up-To-Date
Details for the 2019 Mardi Gras Pub Crawl at the Lake of the Ozarks are currently being put together, but you can stay up-to-date with everything as it happens in a few different and very convenient ways.

• Text "LakePubCrawl" to 71441 to get updates texted directly to your phone.
• Subscribe to the Newsletter and get monthly updates and information emailed to you. 
• Follow the Lake Pub Crawl on Social Media. (Find links below)
• Visit Our Website at www.LakePubCrawl.com.  

This is one of the biggest and most exciting annual events at the Lake of the Ozarks, and even though it's still a few months away, it's not too early to start making plans to attend. This is definitely a celebration that you do not want to miss. Mark your calendar, tell all your friends, and get ready to join us on Saturday, February 16, 2019, for the next Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl! 

TEXT "LakePubCrawl" to 71441 for updates about 

the Lake of the Ozarks Pub Crawl

To keep up with the latest news:

Follow us on Twitter

LIKE us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Check out our Website

If you need additional information, contact us at info@lakepubcrawl.com

Brought to you by the

Lake Area Chamber of Commerce