When you hear the words Mardi Gras and New Orleans in the same sentence, you can’t expect a low-key afternoon. This Tuesday isn’t like any other Tuesday—it’s “Fat Tuesday,” a day dedicated to excessive drinking, parades, beads, nudity and the colors purple, green and gold. Best of all, the celebrations have already started and are happening in our very own city.

Did you know that St. Louis has one of the largest Mardi Gras celebrations outside of New Orleans? Well, now you do, and that means you have plans this Saturday! Get ready to see lots of rowdy parades, beer guzzling and some “hooter” flashing. As graduating seniors, we have a pretty good idea of what to do this weekend, so check out this schedule we made for you:

9:30 a.m.: Wake up, get dressed, chug a beer.

10:15 a.m.: Hop on the MetroLink to Soulard.

11 a.m.: Grab a spot to watch the River City Casino Grand Parade on Broadway. The parade’s theme this year is “American Treasures” and will feature more than 130 fascinating floats, marching bands and 3,500 marching Krewes. The parade will run down Broadway and will continue to Seventh Street, Soulard Market and Sidney Street.

12:30 p.m.: Head into the Soulard neighborhood, grab drinks and listen to some live music.

1 p.m.: Taste some traditional Mardi Gras foods, like king cake at Soulard Bakery (730 Carroll Street; $24 buys you a huge cake to feed all your friends).

2 p.m.: Stop by Molly’s In Soulard (816 Geyer Avenue), and step out onto its 11,000 square foot patio for an all-day buffet and a premium open bar for only $10 (21+, sorry youngsters).

4 p.m.: If you can still muster some energy, head over to The Landshark Stage (Seventh and Geyer) for a free musical performance featuring Trixie Delight, Completely Unchained, Dance Floor Riot and DJ Melissa T.

And, lastly, here are a few interesting facts to get you in the festive Mardi Gras mood:

The word “Mardi” is French for “Tuesday” and the word “Gras” is French for “fat.”

The first Mardi Gras celebration took place in Mobile, Alabama in 1703, NOT in New Orleans!

King cake is a traditional Mardi Gras food that has a small plastic baby Jesus baked inside each cake. Whoever gets the slice with the baby will have good luck that year and is in charge of bringing a king cake to next year’s party.

Nudity is illegal in New Orleans, who would have known?