ST. LOUIS -- While the coronavirus pandemic forced the St. Louis Sports Commission and the Musial Awards to rethink the best way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Stan Musial’s birth on Saturday, the party will still go on -- only in a much-reduced manner.

The guided ballpark tour that was planned for Busch Stadium on Saturday -- 100 years after Musial was born on Nov. 21, 1920 -- was canceled due to concerns over the increase in COVID-19 cases in the region. Instead, a drive-by birthday parade will be held starting at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday. Anyone can participate in the parade, which will travel north on 8th Street past the Musial statue and Busch Stadium. Cars don’t need to get in line before 1 p.m.; you can join the procession any time between 1-2:30 p.m.

The Musial family will be at the statue during the parade to greet fans, although people are required to remain in their cars. Birthday cards are encouraged and can be dropped off in a special box placed along the route to later be given to Musial’s family. The parade will include Fredbird and harmonica players to pay tribute to Musial, and free birthday cupcakes will be distributed while supplies last. Face coverings must be worn when receiving the cupcake.

Those who purchased tickets to the original ballpark event will receive an automatic refund through a credit to their original method of payment.

The celebration is nothing like what the St. Louis Sports Commission had hoped to do for Musial’s birthday, but organizers didn’t want the milestone to pass without commemoration. They hope fans can enjoy the drive-by parade safely while paying tribute to the Cardinal icon, who died in 2013 having left a legacy in the Cardinals organization and in St. Louis.

On Saturday night, KSDK Channel 5 in St. Louis will air a Best of the Musial Awards special at 9 p.m., celebrating 15 years of the Musial Awards in St. Louis. Fans can also order a Stantennial Party Box, filled with treats and commemorative items, with all the proceeds benefiting the Musial Awards.

Because of the pandemic, the awards show -- which was originally supposed to be on Saturday -- will shift to a televised program on CBS on Dec. 26 at 4 p.m. Hank Aaron is one of this year’s honorees, receiving the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award for Sportsmanship. NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace is the recipient of the Stan Musial Award for Extraordinary Character.