ST. LOUIS — Soulard went into high gear on Monday to set up for Mardi Gras.
Crews began to lock down barricades and stands for the Grand Parade this weekend.
This is year 26 for Hammerstone’s, a restaurant in the neighborhood that offers food, drinks, and live music in the area.
"I'm looking forward it but I'm looking forward to it being over because it's a lot of work,” said Cory Hammerstone, general manager.
Hammerstone said that the past weekend was only a glimpse of the rush the season brings.
Crowds packed out businesses for the Taste of Soulard and the big Purina Pet Parade.
"Sales were about average from what they were pre-pandemic so that’s good," Hammerstone said.
It was a similar feeling at the 1860 Saloon, Game Room, & Hardshell Café a couple of blocks down. This was owner Tom Gullickson's 37th season.
He told 5 On Your Side Mardi Gras is always right up their alley.
"We will have live music next week but outside we will have plenty hurricanes, plenty of beer, food, we'll have it all," Gullickson said.
The longtime business owner said the only thing different about this year was less manpower brought on by the pandemic.
"There's not people out there that we can hire so we've been challenged with that. Other than that a few products we had a hard time getting because there's a shortage of it."
The longstanding celebration brings in tens of thousands of people, some of whom live in the St. Louis area and droves of out-of-towners.
After a long couple of years of up-and-down revenue due to the pandemic, businesses were overall glad the tradition can be a beacon for the days ahead.
"The hotels will be full downtown. It's just good for the whole area,” Gullickson said.
"Soulard's steadily growing with the people living down here and Mardi Gras's always growing,” Hammerstone said.
The Bud Light Grand Parade will kick off at 11 a.m. at Busch Stadium and proceed through the streets of Downtown South and Soulard to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.