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The float from the Gauchos is designed to look like a cigar-smoking Argentinian cowboy. It was one of the dozens of floats, bands and krewes in the 2013 Krewe of Sant' Yago Knight Parade.

It's a parade, it's a street party, and it's a drink fest. The 2013 crew of Sant' Yago Knight Parade rumbled down Seventh Avenue in Ybor city Saturday night. Thousands of people showed up for the perfect weather, party atmosphere, and of course tons of beads!

VW1A3192Seven-year-old Kareema Flowers tries to get as many strings of beads as she can.

It all starts before the parade in the staging area. Hundreds of Krewe members prime themselves with alcohol, loud music, cigar smoking and dancing. Many say it is similar to getting pumped up for the big game. The air is wretched with the smell of diesel exhaust from the generators on the floats and cigar smoke. The music is loud, liquor is flowing, and trash from boxes of beads litters Nuccio Boulevard.

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Before the parade the crew of Privateers sponsored this liquor louge. On the left they serve rum runners, and on the right straight flavored vodka. Members of the crew poured the liquor down the ice block into the waiting mouths of partiers.

This article appears in Feb 7-13, 2013.