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 Soulard Mardi Gras‘ famous illuminated nighttime parade happens Tuesday and it’s FREE!
The Lumiere Place Light Up the Night Fat Tuesday Parade begins at 7 p.m. with marvelous floats coming down Washington Avenue.
St. Louis’ only nighttime parade, a colorful, fun-filled nighttime parade that winds through downtown St. Louis is entering its 11the year.
The Parade Steps off at 7 p.m. at the corner of Washington and Broadway and proceeds west to 14th Street.
The event wraps up weeks of events, most of them free, that are part of Soulard Mardi Gras.
The 2013 St. Louis Family Attractions Card is now available!
The card is free, and it can can save you monty on entrance fees, meals and lodging in St. Louis. Some of the deals don’t expire until Jan. 31, 2014.
You can print out coupons from the St. Louis Family Attractions Card website (you will have to give your email address) or go to any Dierbergs, Shop ‘n Save or Schnucks and pick up the brochure at the customer service counter.
Here’s a sample of the savings you can get by using the card:
- St. Louis Science Center: Buy one adult OMNIMAX® ticket and receive one child’s OMNIMAX® ticket free. Fine print: Not valid for groups. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Limit four. Expires Jan. 31, 2014.
- Missouri History Museum: $2 off per person on special exhibition admissions. Fine print: Limit two per coupon. Cannot be combined with any other offers, coupons or discounts. Expires Dec. 31, 2013.
 There’s still time to see eagles in their natural habitat here in the St. Louis area before spring sends them north.
Bald Eagle Days at Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton, Ill. celebrates our national bird in February, the time the eagles travel south to areas where winter temperatures don’t freeze the rivers. The reason: the fish they can get from the free-flowing waters. The remaining dates for the eagle program this month are February 9, 10, 13, 16, 19, 25 and 27.
Naturalist Scott Isringhausen presents a great eagle program and leads free eagle tours where you can see the birds in their natural habitat.
The event is FREE but reservations are required.
Pere Marquette State Park is along the Great River Road north of Alton, Illinois not far from St. Louis.
 In celebration of Black History Month, Saint Louis Art Museum has an exciting selection of activities that focus on African Art at its Family Sunday series on Feb. 10, 17 and 24.
Families can discover treasures from the Kingdom of Benin, ceremonial objects from Sierra Leone and Cameroon, and fabulously decorated costumes from Nigeria. They can also travel on tours of the collection and participate in art projects throughout the month of February. The finale will be a special performance of African dancing, storytelling, and drumming.
A lively 30–minute family tour through the galleries is part of the fun. Family Tour leaves at 2:30 pm.
The weekly event is free and happens in the Sculpture Hall. Visitors can drop in until 4 p.m. for various activities.
The St. Louis Art Museum is in Forest Park.
 The streets of St. Louis’ Soulard neighborhood is the place to be this weekend as the Soulard Mardi Gras River City Casino Grand Parade cruises through the ‘hood.
The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday at Busch Stadium moving south along 7th Street and ending at Anheuser-Busch Brewery.
This year’s theme is “Carnival Comics” and the floats will reflect it.
Come early to stake out a good place to catch those candies, beads and other goodies as they come flying at you.
Parking will be tough on parade day. You can park in a nearby neighborhood and walk or catch a shuttle. Metro shuttles will run from the Civic Center MetroLink at 14th and Spruce streets to Soulard from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
 There’s still time to chill with the penguins at the The Living World at Saint Louis Zoo‘s Delta Dental Winter Zoo on Sundays this month.
From 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Feb. 12 and 19, 2012, families can celebrate the tuxedoed birds with penguin-themed activities, games, crafts, and more. The Feb. 19 event features a Mardi Gras celebration for the whole family.
Penguins like to stroll outside on cold days so when temperatures go below 50 degrees on Sundays, several king and gentoo penguins that reside indoors will venture outdoors at 2 p.m. for Penguin Parade presented by North Star Frozen Treats. They’ll be waddling down the path from the exit of P&P Provisions gift shop to the entrance of Penguin & Puffin Coast for about 30 minutes.
On Sunday, February 19, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Zoo gets in a Mardi Gras mood with Delta Dental Mardi Gras, an event that includes mask making, jugglers, beads, live music and more. Visitors can turn their child’s wagon or stroller into a Mardi Gras parade float, and join in the parade through the Zoo at 3 p.m. led by the Zoo’s costumed characters and Delta Dental’s Tooth Wizard and P.A.N.D.A.
Delta Dental’s “Tooth Wizard,” his pal “P.A.N.D.A.” and arch-enemy “PlaqueMan” will star in Land of Smiles stage show in The Living World at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. each week (no 3 p.m. show on Feb. 19). Land of Smiles entertains and educates children on the importance of maintaining good oral health habits, eating healthy foods and engaging in active play. Each child attending the show will receive a free goodie bag containing dental health supplies to help put them on track for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Party with Radio Disney AM 1260 each Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Play crazy games for cool prizes while listening to some hot tunes. Plus, find out how you can go home with a Radio Disney prize pack!
Admission to the Zoo and Winter Zoo activities is free. Children must be accompanied by an adult. All activities and games are designed for kids aged 2-10. No reservations are needed. The Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Winter Zoo is sponsored by Delta Dental of Missouri, North Star Frozen Treats and Laclede Gas, with support provided by Radio Disney AM 1260.
For more information about the Saint Louis Zoo, visit stlzoo.org, facebook.com/stlzoo, twitter.com/stlzoo, youtube.com/stlzootube.
 Kids can make a “wheel of love” at Lowe’s free make-and-take workshop on Saturday, Feb. 9. Lowe’s offer workshops where kids can make a free wooden project once a month.
Participants in the free Build & Grow workshops receive a free apron, goggles, a project-themed patch and a certificate of merit for completing the project. The projects are recommended for children in grades 1 through 5.
Workshops begin at 10 a.m.
Find the store closest to you.
Workshops often fill up so register early to ensure your child’s spot.
 IHOP celebrates National Pancake Day today with a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes for all today. The deal runs all day–from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at St. Louis area IHOPs so you’ll have plenty of time to take advantage of it.
IHOP does ask that customers who order the pancakes leave something behind for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals and other designated local charities. Since it began its National Pancake Day giveaway in 2006, IHOP has raised $10 million for the Network and other charities. The goal this year is $3 million.
As usual, the fine print applies: limit of one short stack per customer, valid at participating restaurants only and good for dine-in service only. The offer is good while supplies last and cannot be combined with any other offer, coupon or discount.
To make things even more interesting, you can see Miss Missouri, Tippe Emmott, will be at the IHOP at 8049 Clayton Road in St. Louis from 7 to 11 a.m. to flip and serve pancakes to guests. She will replace her tiara and sash with a chef’s hat and apron.
Kids can make a “wheel of love” at Lowe’s free make-and-take workshop on Saturday, Feb. 9. Lowe’s offer workshops where kids can make a free wooden project once a month.
Participants in the free Build & Grow workshops receive a free apron, goggles, a project-themed patch and a certificate of merit for completing the project. The projects are recommended for children in grades 1 through 5.
Workshops begin at 10 a.m.
Find the store closest to you.
Workshops often fill up so register early to ensure your child’s spot.
 It’s your final day to join the St. Louis area YMCA for FREE.
If you join in January, the Y will waive your joining fee. That will save you $80.
With a full membership you will get FREE health and wellness consultation, FREE group exercise classes, FREE towel service, discounts on paid programs, weight loss programs and individual and group personal training!
Those interested in joining can print a guest pass and use it at any of 17 branches of the YMCA of Greater St. Louis. Guests 16 and older must show a photo ID. You can use the pass for a free daytime or evening visit.
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