LR hopes Mardi Gras parade will bring life to Main St.

LITTLE ROCK, AR -- Familiar sights and sounds march through downtown Little Rock. Today, the Southside Main street organization hosted a festival and parade for the Mardi Gras season.

Although planners hope today's event will be a source of entertainment, they also want to give Little Rock's main street a positive spin.

"I think some people have a bad perception of our area. So we just like to get people down here and show them all the great things and great businesses that we have," said planner Hillis Schild.

The plan is working for some spectators.

"I came with my wife and my daughter. It's our first time to join this in Little Rock," said Victor Santillan, "This is nice. This is good."

But planners say they want to see more people participate on the sidelines and in the parade. So they will try to do more marketing for 2013.

"We hope to have more participation and larger floats and maybe some marching bands and stuff like that," said Schild.