LAKE OZARK, Mo. — Mardi Gras is over, but the celebrations live on at the Lake of the Ozarks.
A Mardi Gras pub crawl will take place over the weekend. Typically, the crawl is a day-long party. But this year, it will be a three-day event from Feb. 19-21.
Party organizers said the extension is to help with crowd control and social distancing.
Masks are encouraged but not required.
Businesses said they are going to try and be as safe as they can.
"We have a lot of seating and space at our bar, to where we can kind of accommodate that six-foot spacing in the distance and all that stuff as well. So, nothing too major on precautions, but do what you can as an individual,” said Dam Good Slice Pizza manager Derrick Dietrick.
Last summer the town made national headlines after videos and pictures showed hundreds of people without masks and ignoring social distancing guidelines. St. Louis County even issued a travel advisory after the photos at Lake of the Ozarks went viral.
The Lake Area Chamber of Commerce said it hopes people will be more responsible at the Mardi Gras pub crawl than they were at last summer's parties.
According to the pub crawl’s website, the chamber of commerce decided to keep the event this year to avoid a loss in revenue for the community.
Participating venues include:
- Alley Cats
- Arris Pizza & Pub
- Blondie’s Tropical Burger Bar
- Dam Good Slice
- Harmy’s Cheese Store & More, LLC
- High Noon Bar & Grill
- Inn At Grand Glaize
- JJ Twig’s Pizza & BBQ
- Lake of the Ozarks Brewing Company
- Lucky’s
- Shawnee Bluff Winery
- S.N.A.F.U. Bar
- Tirebiters Peanut Pub
- Tucker’s Shucker Oyster & Tap
- Vista Grande Mexican Restaurant
- Wicked Willie’s Sports Grill