Annual Events & Festivals - Annual Events
St. Louis will find any excuse to have a party—and to have fireworks. An event just isn’t complete without a spectacular pyrotechnics display as part of the grand finale. From First Night festivities on New Year’s Eve to every Cardinals home run and victory and the annual holiday tree-lighting ceremony, bombs will be bursting in air on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River.
In addition to a host of house and garden tours in St. Louis’s historic areas, there are a number of smaller, eclectic street fairs and block party–style events held throughout the area’s many neighborhoods. Some get more media attention and exposure than others, but almost all of them are listed on the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission’s Web site (www.explore stlouis.com) under the Calendar of Events heading. Since some of the smaller events might skip a year or change locations for whatever reason, it’s a good idea to log on to this site or to call ahead to make sure the event is everything you think it will be. Plus, you never know when a new event or festival will pop up in St. Louis. Most of the activities listed are family-friendly and open to all age groups, unless otherwise specified. So, enjoy! After all, a city founded by two guys from New Orleans definitely knows how to let the good times roll.
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Address: 200 South Fourth Street
2. Cardinals Care Winter Warm-Up
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 421-3060
Address: 200 South Fourth Street
Description: The St. Louis Cardinals use this event as an opportunity to introduce new players who have been added to the roster during the off-season, as well as showcase favorite players from the past. The event, usually held during the three-day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, also raises money for Cardinals Care, which helps kids in the metropolitan area. Team members are on hand to sign autographs and interact with fans—it’s a great opportunity to meet Cardinal greats from the past and the present. The cost is around $35.
3. Eagle Days
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 416-9930
Description: The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources provide visitors the chance to get an “eagle’s eye view” of the American bald eagle. Mid-January is typically the most active month for eagles in the area, and state conservation staffers take to the Chain of Rocks bridge with spotting scopes and educational programs. They even bring a live eagle in from the World Bird Sanctuary as part of the educational portions of the free two-day program. It’s a great opportunity to see this majestic bird up close and personal, as well as in free flight, fishing for food, and roosting in trees.
4. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 655-1701
Address: 11 North Fourth Street
Description: On the date of the federal holiday celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, a host of St. Louis’s African-American leaders gather in the rotunda of the historic Old Courthouse, site of the Dred Scott slavery trials. Activities include speeches and music, as well as the annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade through the streets of downtown. Free.
5. African-American Heritage Month
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 655-1701
Description: This month long series of free programs, held at the Old Courthouse and the Gateway Arch’s Museum of Westward Expansion, features historical character portrayals, storytellers, concerts, special films, Dred Scott Trial reenactments with visitor participants, Underground Railroad programs, and education programs that salute the contributions of African Americans in St. Louis and throughout the West. The exhibit “Dred Scott, Slavery, and the Struggle to be Free” is on display on the Courthouse’s second-floor rotunda level.
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
7. Builders Home And Garden Show
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 994-7700
Address: 701 Convention Plaza
Description: The St. Louis Home Builders Association hosts one of the most popular public shows held at the city’s convention center each year. The home show includes more than 600 exhibitors featuring building products, an Interior Design Gallery, Kitchen and Bath Showcase, Lawn and Garden Showcase, Pool and Spa Extravaganza, and a number of guest speakers and special seminars on home- and garden-related topics. The cost is $9 for adults, $4 for children ages 6-12.
8. Anniversary Of The Dred Scott Decision At The Old Courthouse
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 655-1600
Address: 11 North Fourth Street
Description: Each year on March 8, the Old Courthouse commemorates the Dred Scott slavery case at the actual location of the trial, which began in 1846. The event features historical re-enactors such as Frederick Douglass, who talks about the impact and significance of the historic decision. Visitors can participate in a reenactment of the trial in the courthouse’s restored courtroom and take part in various National Park Service ranger-led programs and other activities throughout the day. Free.
9. Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Tournament
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 421-0339
Address: 1401 Clark Avenue
Description: The Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball championship tourney is played in St. Louis each year in early March, as teams from Bradley University, Creighton, Drake, the University of Evansville, Illinois State, Indiana State, the University of Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois University, Southwest Missouri State, and Wichita State University compete for a spot in the NCAA tournament. All-session tickets are $110; single-session tickets range from $10 to $30.
10. St. Patrick’S Day Parade And Run
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 241-7287 for parade info
Description: Elaborate floats, marching bands, and giant helium-filled balloons fill the streets of St. Louis for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, held the Saturday before March 17. The parade begins at Broadway and Market Street in downtown St. Louis, goes past St. Louis Union Station, and ends at 23rd Street. A five-mile run, which begins at Ninth and Market Streets and ends in front of St. Louis Union Station, precedes the parade. Runners of all ages and abilities are welcome. Irish festivities take place under the train shed at St. Louis Union Station throughout the day. Free to spectators; $17-$20 to participate in the run.
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
12. The Spirit Of St. Louis Marathon And Family Fitness Weekend
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 725-9884
Description: This three-day event, held in early April, is packed with fitness activities for people of all ability levels. Activities include a 5K run/walk and children’s fun run; a marathon, half marathon, and marathon relay; and a health and fitness expo at America’s Center. The marathon begins and ends at Soldiers Memorial in downtown St. Louis and takes runners through sections of St. Louis’s historic neighborhoods, including Soulard, the Central West End, Forest Park, Clayton, and University City. The 5K run/walk and children’s fun run take place in Forest Park. Free for spectators; events are $10 to $260.
13. Grand South Grand House And Garden Tour
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 773-4844
Description: This tour of twelve unique and beautiful residences, held annually in mid-April, showcases the diverse styles of St. Louis city living. The featured homes are located in five of St. Louis’s historic neighborhoods: Compton Hill Reservoir Square, Compton Heights, Shaw, Tower Grove East, and Tower Grove Heights. Shuttle buses are available between the homes. The cost is around $14 to $16.
14. Blueberry Hill Dart Tournament
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 727-0880
Address: 6504 Delmar Boulevard
Description: In late April, Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room plays host to the largest and oldest annual pub dart tournament in the United States. This national tournament offers $12,000 in cash prizes for the winners of the men’s, women’s, and doubles divisions. Free for spectators; around $100 for participants.
15. St. Louis Earth Day Festival
City: St. Louis, MO
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (314) 962-5838
Description: Exhibits, activities, educational programs, music, and food celebrate Earth Day, April 27, in one of St. Louis’s most beloved green spaces. In addition to live music throughout the day, activities and exhibits include the Water Exploration Tent; a mini-boat regatta; various models of rivers, streams, and dams; a bike rodeo; the chance to create “bike art” from recycled materials; painting an Art Bus; and joining in the annual All Species Parade. The parade, which features everything from bike riders to dog walkers, starts out on The Muny Grounds and winds through the nearby St. Louis Zoo. Free admission.