Festivals You Don't Want to Miss Geneva lee Staff writer
W
ith vaccinations up and infections down, in-person events and festivals are coming back around, though there are plenty of remote options too! There are celebrations centered around everything from strawberries to the one-mile run. Below is a guide to some of the best of what St. Louis has to offer to those who are ready to finally get out of the house, virtually or physically, after more than a year of isolation:
Fair Saint Louis St. Louis’s Independence Day celebration includes a parade, plenty of food, shopping booths, and of course, fireworks, usually taking place on the Mississippi River’s banks under the Arch.
St. Charles Riverfest
July 2-4, 2021 Cost: Free Location: Frontier Park This three-day festival for Independence Day will include live music, a carnival, food and craft vendors, and fireworks.
Let them Eat Art July 9, 2021 Cost: Free Location: Downtown Maplewood This tribute to Bastille Day has live art demonstrations, kid’s activities, booths featuring local restaurants, and many special event-only promotions at stores downtown.
Open Highway Music Festival August 5-8, 2021 Cost: $41 for one day, $111 for a four-day pass Location: Chesterfield Amphitheater This music festival will be featuring headliners that include Whitney Morgan, Maggie Rose, and Flatland Cavalry.
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St. Louis Fringe Festival August 13-22, 2021 The Fringe Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year as a facilitator for bold, uncensored performance artists. There are half-a-dozen shows each night, and viewers can vote for their favorite performer.
Bommarito
500 Race
INDYCAR
August 21, 2021 Location: Worldwide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois Cost: Tickets begins at $34 This INDYCAR race will feature vehicles racing over 200 mph and will be the final oval track race on the 2021 INDYCAR schedule.
Festival of Nations August 28-29, 2021 Cost: Free Location: Tower Grove Park The Festival of Nations celebrates the international diversity of Saint Louis, replete with dozens of booths with different types of international cuisines, cultural performances, and pop-up shops.
Paint Saint Louis 2021 September 3-5, 2021 Cost: Free Location: The Graffiti Wall at 1000 S. Wharf St. - St. Louis, MO 63104 For those who love painting or watching others paint, this event allows the public to graffiti or paint the floodwalls in downtown Saint Louis.
Taste of St. Louis Cost: Free to enter; menu items $3-$8 The Taste of St. Louis brings together more than 30 different local restaurants to showcase St. Louis’s culinary prowess. Everything from BBQ to alcohol-infused ice cream is featured, and there is live music.
The harder you work, the harder it is to lose
St. Louis Art Fair September 10-12, 2021 Cost: Free Location: Downtown Clayton The St. Louis Art Fair is an annual event that hosts 150 artists from around the country and also features craft-making, art demonstrations, live music, and local food and drinks.
The Great Forest Park Balloon Race
September 17-18, 2021 Cost: Free Location: Forest Park This two-day event has taken place since 1973 and features both a balloon glow, in which hot air balloons are illuminated, and a hot air balloon race, both of which are open to spectators.
Pedal the Cause
September 25-26, 2021 Cost: Minimum $177.25 registration + donation Location: Chesterfield Amphitheater Pedal the Cause is a bike race with various distances that raises money for the Siteman Cancer Center and Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Participants also have access to food vendors and featured events, in addition to the races.
Apple Butter Festival October 30-31, 2021 Cost: Free Location: Kimmswick, MO This is the largest Festival Kimmswick offers with over 500 food, drink, and craft vendors, along with many live entertainers and singers.
