THIS WEEKEND!!! The 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl!!!

Okay party people, the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl is finally here THIS WEEKEND!!! On Saturday, February 17, 2018, this always amazing annual event is taking place once again. It spans over 12 miles across the lake area and features great food, fantastic drinks and incredible live music from 15 different bars and restaurants in both Lake Ozark and Osage Beach. In case you haven't heard about the details already (where have you been?) here is what you need to know to join the biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks. 

Wristbands & Buses
A single $10 wristband will get you into the doors of all 15 pub crawl stops, as well as a ride on any and all of the pub crawl buses, all day (and night) long. These can be purchased before or during the event at all of the participating bars and restaurants, specific hotel/motel sponsors, and at Sunshine Daydreams on the Bagnell Dam Strip. 

Buses run from 4 pm-2:30 am, making sure that you have a safe and sober ride to everywhere that you are going, even after the bars shut down. Most of the buses will be stopping at each venue, plus some hotels that are also on along the route, in a continuous loop. (You can see a list of hotels/motels on the route on our website.) There will also be a few Express Busses running a limited route of only 3 stops, allowing crawlers to get across town faster if they need to. 

Bars & Live Music
The stops on this year's Lake Pub Crawl are some of the best places to party you'll find in the lake area. Every venue will host their own live entertainment, meaning you'll get to hear the best live music at the Lake of the Ozarks every time you get off a bus! Each place is unique in its own way, offering a new brand of fun at every stop. Some of them even provided us with the awesome entertainment they will be providing on Friday night too. A great warm-up for the big event!  

STOP	FRIDAY	SATURDAY
Angelo's	Kenny Kidd 7-11 pm	Double D 4-7 pm Kenny Kidd 7-11 pm
Arris Pizza		Pure Drive
Casablanca		JC The New King of Funk
Chevy's		Sawmill Express
Inn at Grand Glaize		Catfish Willie Band 7 pm-1 am
JJ Twigs		South Surge 6 pm
Li'l Rizzo's		Contagious 9 pm-1 am
Lucky's	Justin Tinkler 8 pm-midnight	My DJ Craig Maxey 4 pm-midnight
Mexicali Blues		Naked Cove Entertainment
SNAFUs on the Strip		Rob Wilson 8 pm-midnight
Tirebiters		DJ Bobby B
Tucker's Shuckers		Downstairs: DJ Stan Da Man Upstairs: DJ LoFoSho 7 pm-close
Vista Grande		TBA
Wicked Willie's		DJ INNA 4-7 pm Dr. Cheese & Taz 8 pm-close
Wobbly Boots		Dale Blue 4-8 pm Vinyl Richy 8 pm-close

Do NOT Miss This! 
We've been talking about this year's 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl for months now, and most of you have been talking about it since last year! Hopefully you've already got your plans set for attending our out-of-this-world celebration on Saturday, February 17. If, on the other hand, you've been procrastinating, hiding from social media, or simply living under a rock, there's still time to get yourself to the Lake of the Ozarks! 

Miss this exciting event and you won't know what everyone's talking about all year long. As a matter of fact, you might as well pencil us into your calendar for 2019 right now. You can sign up to recieve text messages and our newsletter for details about next year's event as a reminder as soon as they're available by visiting www.LakePubCrawl.com. It's an amazing party, and we expect do see you there! 

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Incredible Live Music at the 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl

We're only about a week away from the 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl! Hopefully you've got most of your plans to be here on Saturday, February 17 set already. Hotels are filling up, the bars are gearing up, and the schedule featuring the best live music at the Lake of the Ozarks is almost complete! 

On pub crawl night (and day in some cases) every single participating bar and restaurant will host incredible entertainment. A few are even hosting great music on the Friday before the big event. A perfect reason to make an entire weekend getaway out of the biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks! Here are the amazing acts that you will have the joy of listening to.    

Angelo's Pizza & Pub

Friday:

Kenny Kidd 7-11 pm

Saturday:

Double D 4-7 pm

Kenny Kidd 7-11 pm

Arris Pizza & Pub

Saturday:

Pure Drive

Casablanca

Saturday:
JC The New King of Funk

Chevy's

Saturday:
Sawmill Express

Inn at Grand Glaize

Saturday:

Catfish Willie Band 7 pm-1 am

JJ Twiggs Pizza & BBQ

Saturday:
South Surge

Li'l Rizzo's

Saturday:
Contagious 9 pm-1 am

Lucky's Bar & Grill

Friday:

Justin Tinker 4 pm-midnight

Saturday:

My DJ Craig Maxey 4 pm-midnight

Mexicali Blues

Saturday:

Naked Cove Entertainment

SNAFU on the Strip

Saturday:

Rob Wilson 8 pm-midnight

Tirebiter's Peanut Pub

Saturday:

DJ Bobby B

Tucker's Shuckers

Saturday:

DJ Stan Da Man 7 pm-close (downstairs)

DJ LoFoSho 7 pm-close (upstairs)

Vista Grande

TBD

Wicked Willie's Sports Grill

Saturday:

DJ INNA 4-8 pm

DJ Dr. Cheese & Taz 8 pm-close

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

Saturday:

Dale Blue 4-8 pm

DJ Vinyl Richy 8 pm-close

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, because those bands and DJs will have you out on the dance floor all night long! You can get your $10 pub crawl wristbands before or on the day of the event at all participating pub crawl venues, specific hotel/motel sponsors, and at Sunshine Daydreams on the Bagnell Dam Strip. 

That wristband not only gets you into all of the stops on the map, but also onto any of the pub crawl buses running a continuous loop from 4 pm-2:30 am. Those buses will also be making stops at some on-route hotels, which you will find listed on the Lake Pub Crawl website. That's also where you can find the updates for the missing (TBD) entertainment listed above.  

If you haven't already, now is the time to call all of your fun friends and finalize those plans to be at the 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl on Saturday, February 17. This exciting event only happens once a year, and you're going to kick yourself if you miss it this time. Every year gets bigger and better than ever! 

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Full Circle - The Final 5 Stops for the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl

Well folks, we began our journey around the 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl route a couple of weeks ago starting on one side of the Bagnell Dam Strip, and this week we're completing our trip on the other side, full circle. The biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks got a little bigger since we started, so at the end of today's blog, we'll be traveling a little farther back around the circle to pick up an additional entry to the pub crawl.

Arris Pizza & Pub
Our first venue this week is located at 3924 Jr Prewitt Parkway in Osage Beach. It's named after Arris Pardalos, the man that wanted to bring his delicious homemade pizza recipe to the Midwest. This Jefferson City staple now has 4 homes in Missouri, including right here in Osage Beach, smack dab in the middle of our incredible pub crawl. When you get off the bus at this stop, you will be entertained by the awesome music of Pure Drive.  

JJ Twigs Pizza & BBQ
This is "where past meets present and family and friends meet to enjoy good times and good food!" The crew here at 1815 Bagnell Dam Blvd. in Lake Ozark always make sure you have a memorable time. Whether you're here to eat, drink, dance, or a bit of all three, you're going to have a blast! We'll have their live entertainment posted on the website soon, but be assured that it will be someone who knows how to rock the house!  

SNAFU on the Strip
The next stop takes us back to the Bagnell Dam Strip at 1275 Bagnell Dam Blvd. in Lake Ozark. This is a veteran-owned, military-themed, patriotic bar where locals gather to hang out and have a good time. The name of the place comes from a military slang term. If you don't know what the acronym stands for, then you've already got a conversation starter when you join them for the pub crawl! They will have the wonderful Rob Wilson playing from 8 pm - midnight.   

Tucker's Shuckers
Even though they're really all about the oysters, they are also known for amazing burgers, sandwiches, steaks, salads, sports (on 28 HD TVs,) live music, and the fact that they have 28 different beers on tap. You will find them at 1339 Bagnell Dam Blvd. in Lake Ozark. Featuring 2 levels of restaurant and bar, they are able to have 2 amazing musical acts going at the same time! From 7 pm-close, DJ Stan Da Man will be downstairs and DJ LoFoSo will be upstairs. 

Casablanca
Hopping back on the bus and taking a very short trip to the other side of the Strip, you'll find Casablanca upstairs and Casagrotto downstairs at 1312 Bagnell Dam Blvd. in Lake Ozark. They've got great food and fantastic bars on both levels, with an amazing pizza kitchen downstairs and live music upstairs. As soon as we know who will be gracing their stage for the pub crawl, we'll add it to our website so you're in the know too.   

And there you have it... the end of the 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl journey. You don't have to stop after one trip around though. You are welcome to hop on a bus at any of the 15 participating bars & restaurants, and take as many trips around the loop as you like! A $10 wristband gets you into the best annual event at the Lake of the Ozarks all day and night long. Rest up now, and get ready to party with us on Saturday, February 17, 2018!  

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The NEXT 5 Stops for the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl 2018

Every week brings us a little bit closer to the biggest pub crawl in mid-Missouri, and each weekly blog clues you in on a little bit more information that will make your Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl experience even better! The more details you have, the better to party with on Saturday, February 17, 2018! 

Last week we started a journey around this year's route with the first 5 stops on the pub crawl (starting at Bagnell Dam) and today we're continuing the trip with the next 5 stops. If any new bars or restaurants join the list before pub crawl time, we'll circle around again and feature them at the end of this series. 

Mexicali Blues
Here you can enjoy some of the best margaritas at the Lake of the Ozarks in a variety of flavors, both frozen and on the rocks. They also offer a full Mexican menu featuring all of your favorite dishes, plus a few local favorites.Their kitchen will be open and serving their entire menu all day long, from lunchtime until 10 pm, and from 10 pm-midnight they'll have delicious appetizers available for anyone with some late-night munchies. You will find them at 6605 U.S. Hwy 54 in Osage Beach. Live music at this venue will be provided by Naked Cove Entertainment.   

Wicked Willie's Sports Grill
Having reached the end of the first side of the street, your pub crawl bus will turn around and head back up the other side, making its first stop at this #WickedGood sports bar. Found at 5384 Osage Beach Parkway in Osage Beach, it features seating around the bar area with lots of tables on the restaurant side too, plus an entire nightclub to party in. There are also 33 TVs and 3 projection screens to watch all the games on. Their 2 bars are fully stocked with all of your favorite libations plus a nice variety of draft beers. You can dance the night (and day) away with DJ INNA from 4-8 pm and from 8 pm-close they will have DJ Dr. Cheese and Taz onstage.   

Inn at Grand Glaize
Here we have not only a pub crawl stop, but also one of our on-route hotels. They are offering special rates for pub crawl weekend, and our buses will pick you up and drop you off right at their doors! Located in a secluded cove just 1/4 mile west of the Grand Glaize Bridge, you will find them at 5142 Osage Beach Parkway in Osage Beach. Their bar and restaurant will be rocking with the sounds of the Catfish Willie Band from 7 pm - 1 am, and weather permitting there is even plenty of room to party outside.   

Tirebiter's Peanut Pub 
This friendly neighborhood restaurant and bar at 4704 Jayhawk Street in Osage Beach offers friendly service, great food, refreshing drinks, and TVs that always have the game on! You'll know you're here when you feel the peanut shells crunching under your feet. (A great pub crawl snack!) DJ Bobby B will be spinning everyone's favorite hits all evening long to keep you on the dance floor before you head on to your next stop.   

Li'l Rizzo's 
Next up at 929 Premium Outlet Drive in Osage Beach is the wonderful Italian restaurant and bar that has friendly servers and bartenders that always make everyone feel welcome. During the pub crawl, that hospitality is turned up a few notches more than usual due to the excitement in the air! Here you'll find gourmet pizza and pasta, their world famous house salad, and a full bar ready to refresh your thirst. 

We are now 2/3 of the way around this year's Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl route. Next week we'll finish the trip and you will have had a small peek at every bar and restaurant participating in the biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks. We expect to see you right back here online in a few days, and in person and ready to party in a few weeks on Saturday, February 17, 2018! 

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The First 5 Stops for the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl 2018

We are only one month away from the best annual event at the Lake of the Ozarks! There are 14 incredible bars and restaurants scheduled for this year's Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl so far. Today we're beginning a trip around the route with a look at 5 of them starting at the historic Bagnell Dam Strip. For the next 3 weeks, we will be featuring more venues until we make it back to the other side of the strip, full circle.  

Lucky's Bar and Grill
Lucky's is a friendly Irish pub with strong Iowa ties. (If you're a Hawkeyes fan, you'll feel right at home, and if not, you'll still be welcomed with open arms!) Located at 1140 Bagnell Dam Boulevard in Lake Ozark, it was recently listed on BestThingsMO.com's "10 Best Burgers in Missouri" list. If you don't have time to grab one during the pub crawl, it may be just what you need the day after! Their homemade Apple Pie shots are so amazing that they often sell out before the night's over. Their pub crawl weekend entertainment lineup includes Justin Tinker on Friday night from 8 pm-midnight, and My DJ Craig Maxey rocking the house from 5 pm-midnight on Saturday.   

Vista Grande
The next stop on the pub crawl route will be Vista Grande Mexican restaurant at 4579 Osage Beach Pkwy in Osage Beach. Their motto is "So don't drink the water, drink the Lake's best margaritas!!!" In addition to incredible margaritas, they've got a fully stocked bar full of all of your favorite drinks. If you're in the mood for Mexican while you're crawling, you can grab a table in the dining room before hopping back on the bus.     

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse
This award-winning BBQ restaurant offers mouthwatering hickory-smoked meats, a fully stocked bar, tons of TVs all around the restaurant showing all of the games, and a stage that hosts some of the best live music you'll hear in the lake area. During the winter they host live music every Friday & Saturday night that goes long beyond when the kitchen shuts down, so this place knows how to throw a party. For Pub Crawl, Dale Blue will perform from 4-8 pm and DJ Vinyl Richy will finish out the night from 8-close. Their stop is located at 4717 Osage Beach Pkwy in Osage Beach.  

Chevy's 
A quick trip across the bridge will bring you to Chevy's Bar & Grill at 5151 Osage Beach Pkwy in Osage Beach. They employ world-class bartenders and are home to the best pizza in the Midwest! It's a favorite local spot and they've got a great dance floor right next to the stage. In their own words, it's "Where the fun begins and never ends!" 

Angelos Pizza and Pub
Another amazing pizza place is the next pub crawl stop, and it's also another restaurant with strong Iowa ties. It can be found at 1030 State Highway KK in Osage Beach. Angelo's was a Des Moines favorite for many years, and their love for the Ozarks brought them to this fun new location. Their mission is to pour their love of the pizza pie into every pie that they design.  They have their live music for pub crawl weekend all lined up, with Kenny Kidd performing both Friday and Saturday night from 7-11 pm.  

There you go, the first 5 stops for the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl 2018 (if you start at Bagnell Dam!) It takes a lot more than 5 stops to make the biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks, so come back next week to learn about 5 more exciting spots to party for the pub crawl this year on Saturday, February 17. Every venue will host its own live music, and if it wasn't listed here, we'll post it on our website the second we find out who it is. Mark your calendars now and make your plans to join us! 

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Prepare For Pub Crawl With 6 Mardi Gras Fun Facts

Who else is getting excited about the biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks? We've still got a few weeks to go before the 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl is officially here, (Saturday, February 17) so we're passing the time by looking up interesting tidbits about the holiday. Bet you don't know most of the fun facts below. (So keep reading and find out!)  

Always a Different Date
The date that Mardi Gras is celebrated depends on Easter, and the date for that holiday depends on the moon. Easter happens on the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon that occurs after the 1st day of spring. Mardi Gras is placed on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent leading up to Easter.  

The Pope Gets the Credit
Pope Gregory XIII is the person responsible for putting Mardi Gras on the Gregorian calendar all the way back in 1582 on the day before Ash Wednesday. The holiday didn't come to North America until the 17th century. The Le Moyne brothers shared the celebration with locals when they came to defend France's claim on Louisiana.  

A Variety of Names
Mardi Gras is "Fat Tuesday" since it is the last day to revel and enjoy excess before making sacrifices for Lent. It can also be referred to as "Shrove Tuesday," because "shrove" comes from "shrive" which means "to confess," and going to confession is the way some people begin their season of Lent. It is also known as "Pancake Day" in some places (like Ireland, Australia, and Canada) where they spend the holiday eating pancakes and doing pancake-related activities instead of drinking and throwing beads.   

Masks are Required by Law
That is, if you are riding on a float. It is illegal to be on a Mardi Gras float unless you are wearing a mask. If you are simply watching the parade, you aren't required to put one on, but it can make things a lot more fun!  

Super Gras 2013
In 2013, the Super Bowl took place in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Hoping to better contain the additional crowds, the city expanded the 12-day parade season so that none would be taking place on game day.   

Wasn't Always in New Orleans
Even though New Orleans is the place most associated with Mardi Gras in the United States (and we're working hard to make the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl the next biggest party!) that's not where it was first celebrated. In 1699, the Le Moyne brothers we mentioned earlier held their party about 60 miles downriver from the future site of the city of New Orleans. They don't get to claim the first Mardi Gras parade either! That took place in Mobile, Alabama in 1703, 15 years before New Orleans even existed.   

Okay, now you know some pretty cool stuff about the holiday. Here's the information you need to know so that you can attend the most exciting pub crawl in mid-Missouri. 

DATE: 

Saturday, February 17, 2018

PRICE:

$10 for a wristband to get you onto all Pub Crawl shuttle buses and into every participating venue for fun and live music. 

VENUES:

Wobbly Boots

Wicked Willie's

Tucker's Shuckers

Arris

Mexicali Blues

JJ Twigs

Tirebiters

Chevys

Li'l Rizzos

SNAFU

Vista Grande

Inn at Grand Glaize

Lucky's

Angelo's 

You can find more information, including a list of places to stay while you are in town offering pub crawl weekend discounts, on our website at www.LakePubCrawl.com. Another way to stay in-the-know is to text "LakePubCrawl" to 71441 for updates and info. Start your planning now and don't miss a minute of the fun this year! 

TEXT "LakePubCrawl" to 71441 for updates about 

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New Year's Eve - The Perfect Mardi Gras Party Practice

New Year's Eve will be here in a couple of days, and it's the perfect opportunity to get some practice in for the 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl! We've shared a few things below that you are probably enjoying this weekend that are very similar to what you'll be doing at the biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks on Saturday, February 17, 2018.  

Bar Parties with Live Music
Many lake area bars are hosting incredible New Year's Eve parties with bands or DJs rocking everyone into 2018. Wherever you are spending the holiday, you'll be able to find fun parties just like the ones being thrown around here. 

The biggest difference is that on New Year's Eve, you'll most likely pick one place with one band and stay there all night long. When you join us for the Mardi Gras Pub Crawl, our busses will be taking you to multiple bars and restaurants throughout the event with a different incredible musician performing at each one! New Year's Eve will be a nice warm-up, but when you get to the pub crawl, be ready to party harder than you've ever partied before! 

Don't Drink and Drive
This is an important statement, no matter what day of the year it is. For New Year's Eve, you'll need to plan to "stay where you play," so that you don't have to get in the car at the end of the night if you're planning to drink. A couple of other options are to bring along a friend that you trust to stay sober, or arrange to either call a cab, uber, or rent a driver for the evening. 

Not the case at our pub crawl in February! You can still do all of those things if you like, but they aren't necessary because transportation for the evening is included with the $10 wristband that will get you into all of the bars and restaurants participating in the crawl. As a matter of fact, if you stay at one of the hotels along the pub crawl route (check our website for an updated list,) the pub crawl busses will even pick you up and drop you off there!

Creative Cocktails
New Year's Eve is a time to raise a glass and toast the things that happened in the past year as well as your expectations for the coming year. (Be sure to raise a glass to the amazing time you'll be having at our 2018 Mardi Gras Pub Crawl!) The preferred drink of choice, at least at midnight, is usually champagne. 

Mardi Gras has quite a few delicious cocktails associated with it, the most famous probably being the classic Hurricane. This delicious on-the-rocks rum drink is fairly similar to the frozen Rum Runner that is extremely popular around the lake area during the summer. No matter what your favorite beverage is, you'll be able to order it from the incredible bartenders at each of the stops on the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl. 

While you're out enjoying your end-of-the-year celebration this weekend, keep in mind how exciting it's going to be in less than a couple of months when you're at the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl! Get the date - Saturday, February 17 - on your new 2018 calendar right away, and then start making plans to be here for another year of pub crawling fun! 

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The Stories Behind 5 Popular Mardi Gras Traditions

When someone mentions Mardi Gras, there are certain things that immediately come to mind. This flamboyant holiday is filled with familiar symbols and traditions. (Hopefully for you, one of those traditions is attending the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl!) Here's a closer look at some of the things that are always present in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, and you're very likely to see when you take part in Missouri's largest pub crawl. 

First of all, we need to explain what a "Krewe" is because this keeps popping up in our research. A Krewe is an organization that is responsible for creating the parties and parades happening for Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It is made up of several members and a captain, and these people work throughout the year in secret preparing for the big celebration. There are many Krewes around today, but the Rex Krewe dates all the way back to the 1800's. They seem to be involved in the creation of many Mardi Gras traditions.    

Purple, Green, and Gold
Rex is credited with making these particular colors symbols of Mardi Gras. During the first Rex parade in 1872, the King of the Carnival proclaimed that all balconies should be draped in purple, green, and gold. Rex founders believed that "a king must have a kingdom, and a kingdom needs a flag." Due to the fact that many country's flags used three colors, that's the amount they decided to choose. 

"Heraldry" states that both metals and colors were needed, and rules that determine a coat of arms say that only 5 colors are acceptable: red, blue, purple, green, and black. Purple and gold are both royal colors fit for a king, and our best guess about the green is that they just liked the way it all looked together. The Rex parade of 1892 had the theme "Symbolism of Colors," and this is when the Mardi Gras colors were assigned their meanings. 

• Purple = Justice
• Green = Faith
• Gold = Power

Beads
Beads are the most popular thing thrown for Mardi Gras across the country, but in New Orleans, a wide variety of things are thrown from parade floats in addition to beads. Small trinkets such as stuffed animals, small toys, doubloons, and plastic cups (aka New Orleans dinnerware!) are all used. We didn't really find a reason for these throws other than that's what you do when you're on a parade float! "Flashing" for these throws is NOT considered tradition in New Orleans, but when inhibitions are lowered and people want to draw attention to get beads, it's just something that seems to happen.  

Doubloons
These 2-sided throws have become collector's items in New Orleans. In 1884, Rex began throwing medallions instead of trinkets. Those medallions are represented by doubloons today. One Krewe in the mid-1900's began having doubloons made that featured their emblem and founding date on one side and the current year and parade theme on the other. Now, most Krewes have their own doubloons made to throw but be warned, these are so popular and sought-after, you could get your hands trampled trying to pick them up off of the street! (Maybe we should start making these each year for the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl featuring the bars in place of Krewes!) 

King Cake
A King Cake is an oval-shaped coffee cake, braided and covered in icing with purple, green, and gold sugar. Many bakeries now add fillings to these cakes like cream cheese, nuts, and fruit. The one thing that must always be inside of a King Cake is a small toy baby. The person that receives the piece of cake containing that baby is automatically the one that has to provide the next King Cake. 

This tradition represents the belief that according to Christian faith, baby Jesus first showed himself to the three wise men and the world on January 6th. That is the date that Mardi Gras, aka King Cake season, begins.     

Masks
Mardi Gras masks add an element of mystery and intrigue to the celebration. Originally, wearing a mask during this holiday allowed a person to let their guard down and feel free to have a good time. This allowed different classes of society to mingle with each other. Today it is a fun and beautiful tradition that still allows a person to feel like they can be a bit more free to act out more than usual, providing a sense of anonymity. Float riders in New Orleans are actually required to wear masks, not because of tradition, but because it's a law!

There's a little peek into why some of the things you see and do for Mardi Gras exist. Now, which of these things will you incorporate into your own 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras experience? It's not too early to start planning. The biggest party at the Lake of the Ozarks will happen on Saturday, February 17, 2018. We can't wait to see all of you there in your finest purple, green, and gold! 

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