5 Things to Know Today: Fat Tuesday, Feb. 21

1) What to wear? Expect a chilly morning, otherwise it should be mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Bring layers or a warm jacket to Mardi Gras fastivities this evening. The temperature is expected to drop to 59 tonight, according to the National Weather Service.

2) Going to the Fat Tuesday parade and street party downtown this evening? Here's everything you should know before you go.

3) If you're really in the festive spirit on this Fat Tuesday, you can pre-party it up with a Mardi Gras muffuletta lunch at Honeymoon Island's South Pavilion (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), or "float" aboard the Parrotdise Express for a Mardi Gras cruise from the Dunedin Municipal Marina. (Click the hyperlinks for details about each activity.)

4) Dunedin High students are being told not to use the Patricia Avenue as a cut-through now that it has been reopened. Deputies say they are enforcing the "No Thru Signs," but must strike a balance between enforcement of the traffic signs and a perceived harassment of following people to know for sure if they are visiting or passing through, according to city emails. Patrols will be in the area in the coming weeks, city emails state.

5) The price of gas is going up. The lowest reported gas price in Dunedin is $3.55 at the Super Shop, 1001 Broadway, according to TampaGasPrices.com.