Soulard

With a population of just over 3,200 Soulard, which is located just south of Downtown St. Louis, has one of the highest per-capita income statistics of anywhere in the St. Louis metro area. There is plenty of things to do in Soulard. A day visiting attractions, the Anheuser Busch Brewery and dining at one of the fine restaurants in Soulard is a great way to experience old tradition. Then at night visit one of the Soulard bars as the nightlife scene brings large crowds to the area. Many annual events are also help in the nightlife district which include Mardi Gras, Octoberfest and Bastille Day. Soulard hosts the United States' second largest Mardi Gras festival, no great surprise given St. Louis' rich French heritage and easy shipping access to that Acadian wonderland, New Orleans. In the grandest Mardi Gras tradition, beads are thrown to girls willing to bare their chests in the waning light of Fat Tuesday. It has been reported that the per-capita electric consumption of those arriving for Soulard's Mardi Gras festival has risen some 18% in the last three years, which event organizers attribute to the massive propagation of camera-phones and the need to recharge them regularly during Mardi Gras.