Ann Chance, 70, director of the St. Louis Office of Special Events, which oversees planning of parades, celebrations and other events in the city.

FAMILY • Married to Tim Chance, a retired printer who works part time for the Edele & Mertz hardware store near Soulard. They live in Soulard. Five children, ranging in age from 38 to 51; 11 grandchildren, with three living in the area. Ann grew up in the Minneapolis area and is the eldest of three children born to Earl and Maxine Christ. Earl, who died in 2002, was a high school teacher and coach; Maxine will turn 95 next month and still lives in Minneapolis. Ann's siblings are Tom Christ, 67, a retired teacher in Minneapolis; and Carol Hart, 65, of Winter, Wis.

EDUCATION • Minnetonka High School, 1959; University of Minnesota-St. Cloud, B.S., education, mid-1960s. Ann took some time off school to have her first child.

How did you wind up in St. Louis?

We moved here in 1970 after my husband's employer closed his business. We had four children and decided we wanted to do something different. We wanted to live somewhere that was warmer than Minneapolis, and we wanted to be in the middle of the country because we liked it and wanted to be able to visit our family. We had four children by then and spent a summer with them traveling the Midwest. I had always been a big fan of St. Louis, although I had never been here. I liked that St. Louis was on the river and that it's beautiful. I was also a Cardinals fan and it was very important to me to be in a big sports town.

Did you move to Soulard when you first got here?

No, we lived in Pacific until our youngest child graduated from high school in 1990. I taught special education there for eight years.

Why did you leave Pacific?

We lived in Pacific because we thought it was an easier place to raise our kids. But we wanted to live in the city, and we wanted to live in Soulard. Before we moved there, we would go to Mardi Gras and we liked the music and the food and the feel of the neighborhood. It just felt good.

Do you have one of the grand old houses there?

We bought a house that's at least 150 years old but it's rather modest. We rented until we found it in the middle '90s.

When did you get involved with the community?

When we were living in Pacific, I got involved with putting on the Mardi Gras celebration, which was all volunteer at that time.

Did you have experience with putting together big street parties?

Not really  — but I did have experience as a mother of five kids and doing school parties and projects, and I was involved with Pacific while my kids were growing up.

How did you enlarge the event?

The Soulard Business Association got involved and in 1992 I became what they referred to as the chairman of Mardi Gras, although it was still all voluntary. I started working on it and I learned as I went along. I created many of the events we still have, such as "A Taste of Soulard," the "Cajun Cook-off," the wine tasting and the dog parade.

Why did you want Soulard to host Mardi Gras?

The value to me was that it built our neighborhood. It's still the neighborhood's event — it really, truly is.

Did you go right from there to working for the city?

Oh, no. In 1995, Chris Pook, who was building Gateway International Raceway, called me and asked me if I would be their services manager. I took that job and worked there until 2001, when I left to go to work for the Downtown St. Louis Partnership.

So when did you become the city's special events director?

In 2006. It became apparent that the city needed a special events office that was established by ordinance and had rules. We needed something that was going to define things: What is a parade? What about festivals, block parties, runs, walks, bike races? I went to the city and I worked with the legal department to create the Office of Special Events.

How do you facilitate a special event?

For the Cardinals parade, for instance, when we went into the World Series, I started putting together a plan. I worked with Union Station and the Drury Inn and cops and set up a route and got the necessary permits. Then I contacted every major parade group I know and put out the word to get 300 volunteers.

What do you do other than put on big parties and enjoy your community?

I watch sports, whatever is available. I do a lot of family stuff. I cook big meals on Sundays for my kids and grandkids who are around. I love music and music festivals. We have gone to the Jazz Festival in New Orleans every year since it started, I think. I love to work on my yard. It's very small but it's very pretty. And I read, I'm an avid reader.

What are you reading now?

James Patterson's "Kill Me If You Can."

Your car is ...

A 2003 Kia Rio.