ST. LOUIS – Mardi Gras weekend kicks off in St. Louis on Friday night with the Mayor’s Ball. It’s the second year the ball is held at Union Station.

The Mardi Gras parade is on Saturday at 11 a.m. The parade will go from Busch Stadium down southbound on Broadway to Lynch Street.

Broadway will be closed to traffic and pedestrians by 10 a.m. Several exits will be closed as well from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., including the southbound Interstate 55 to Arsenal exit and the Broadway entrance ramp to westbound Interstate 64.

Thousands of people are expected to be in attendance at the parade.