Missouri Botanical Garden Children's Garden Opening--April 3

Celebrate spring with the re-opening of the Doris I. Schnuck Children's Garden at the Missouri Botanical Garden! This Saturday, April 3, kids can participate in a variety of activities at the Children's Garden. Activities start at 9am and go all day, but be sure to get in before noon if you want free admission (St Louis City and County residents).

Here's a brief schedule of events:

9am-noon: Make a corn husk doll at the Osage Camp.

9am-3pm: Get some cheek art from our popular volunteer face painters.

9am-4pm: Make your own Children’s Garden to remind you of your special day. Create seed packets to start your own garden from the ground up.

10am-noon & 1pm-3pm: Look for Finn strolling the Garden.

10am-2pm: Back by popular demand, watch as chainsaw artist, Joe Bathon, creates wood works right before your eyes. Discover the Power of Pollination in the Children’s Garden’s very own pollination garden. Become a tree detective and uncover what’s so neat about trees.

10am-3pm: Visit the Nature Explore Classroom and pot a plant to take home.

11am-noon: Hear about the life of Sacagawea, a courageous Shoshone woman who accompanied Lewis and Clark on the Corps of Discovery. Listen as storyteller Dianne Moran recounts the fascinating story of her amazing life and adventures.

Noon-3pm: Listen and dance to live folk music performed by the Ryan Spearman Trio.

For more information visit the Children's Garden website or call 314-577-5100.

Dr. MLK, Jr. Freedom Celebration--Jan 15

Join the Saint Louis Art Museum on January 15 to praise the life and celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year’s program celebrates women who were—and continue to be—drum majors for justice and peace. Our honorees embody the belief of Mrs. Coretta Scott King, "If the nation is to be saved, women must become its soul." The program will start at 7:30pm.

For more information, see the St Louis Art Museum website or call 314-721-0072.

Way of Lights--Nov 20

The Way of Lights at Our Lady of the Snows Shrine is one tradition that my family does every year. The kids love to see all of the lights and it presents a beautiful telling of the Christmas story. There are also lots of fun activities to do inside and out!

Drive through 1 1/2 miles of breathtaking displays of over one million lights which focuses on the birth of Christ, the one true light of the world. Through sparkling lights, electro-art sculptures and creative displays, the Shrine celebrates the birth of our Savior. There's a free petting zoo and choir performances many nights. In addition you can tour the Christmas tree room where there are many beautifully decorated Christmas trees with a theme of "Christmas through the years." There's also an interactive children's village where kids can make ornaments and watch puppet shows!

The Way of Lights is open from 5-10pm starting November 20 and ending January 3, 2010.

Oldsmobile Fun Car Show--Sept 27

The Museum of Transportation is not free, but you can get a great look at some beautiful old cars this Sunday at the Oldsmobile Fun Car Show. The car show will be held at the Upper Parking Lot of the Museum of Transportation from 11am-2pm.

In case you decide to stick around and visit the museum, museum admission is $6 per adult and $4 for children 5-12, seniors, and military with a valid ID. Children under 4, teachers with valid school ID, and members of the transportation museum are free.

For more information call 314-615-8668.

Greek Festival--Sept 25-27

If you were out of town over Labor Day and missed one Greek festival, you're in luck because there's another one this weekend!

Assumption Greek Orthodox Church will be hosting Greek Fest this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at their church in Town and Country. The festival runs from 11am to 9pm every day and promises to be packed with loads of fun activities and entertainment. There will be live Greek music and dancing, church tours, a movie about the history of Greece, and a kids' activity area. There will also be food available for purchase (my mouth is already watering for some amazing Greek pastries!) and vendors selling authentic Greek imports.

The church is easily accessible from I-270 and Highway 64/40.

Fall Equinos Sunrise Observance--Sept 20

Learn about the discovery, form and function of the ancient post-circle sun calendar at the Fall Equinos Sunrise Observance at Cahokia Mounds Historic Site. Be sure to get up early, because the observance starts at 6:30am!

For more information, visit the Cahokia Mounds website or call 618-346-5160.

Scott Air Force Base Air Show--Sept 19-20

If you like airplanes you won't want to miss the annual Scott Air Force Base Air Show!

The Golden Knights, Canadian Snowbirds, and Tora! Tora! Tora! will be among the performers and there will be demonstrations by F-15s, F/A-18s and more. A schedule of flying times is available but is subject to change. In addition, many planes will be on display. You will be able to walk up close to the planes and talk to the pilots--and maybe even get their autographs!

If you aren't familiar with the Scott Air Force Base area, it's located close to Shiloh, IL, just a few miles off of I-64 (about 20 minutes east of downtown St Louis). The SAFB Shiloh and Belleville Gates will open at 9am both days and the air show will run from 11am to 5pm.

Parking and admission is free but you will need to go through security checkpoints to get onto Scott Air Force Base.

9th Annual Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival--Sept 19

This year the award-winning Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival recreates the music of the Las Vegas jazz scene during the 1960s. Not unlike Vegas at that time, this year's festival offers great entertainment, food and spirits along the strips of Gore, Allen and Lockwood Avenues. Listen for a dazzling array of styles and tune-in to retro sophistication born in the Las Vegas heyday that is still alive today.

Featured bands are Wild Cool & Swingin’ Orchestra, St. Louis Jazz & Blues Revue, Soulard Blues Band, Two Times True, Webster University Faculty Jazz Band, Matthew Von Doran Trio, Dogtown Allstars, Standard Time, The SteamRollers, Webster Groves High School Jazz Band, Funky Butt Brass Band. The complete schedule is available on the website.

The festival will run from noon to 11pm on Saturday in the Webster Groves Historic District.

In addition, there will be a free jazz clinic open to high school musicians and above. The clinic will be at 10am on Saturday and will be hosted by Webster University jazz faculty at the Community Music School (535 Garden Ave., Rm 11). No instrument or pre-registration is necessary and all participants will receive a free gift bag from area merchants.

For more information call 314-961-4656 or visit the festival website.

Kirkwood's Greentree Festival--Sept 18-20

As I mentioned a while back, this month is truly the month of festivals!

There will be lots of activities for the whole family at this weekend's Greentree Festival in Kirkwood. This annual community festival boasts a parade, booths, dance and music (including a whole tent devoted to Missouri fiddlers!), arts and crafts, a classic car show, a sailboat regatta, a folklife area devoted to life in the 1700-1800's, and a kids' area on Saturday and Sunday.

The parade will be held on Saturday at 10am and covers a parade route stretching 1.7 miles. The route begins at Kirkwood High School, travels east on Essex to Kirkwood Road, then south on Kirkwood Road to Argonne, and then west on Argonne, finishing at the Kirkwood Community Center.

The festival will be held in Kirkwood Park at the intersection of Adams Ave. and Geyer Rd. The festival will be open from 5-10pm on Friday, 8:30am-7pm on Saturday, and 10am-5pm on Sunday.

For more information check the website or call 314-822-5855.

Constitution Day Naturalization Ceremony--Sept 17

This Thursday is the annual Constitution Day Naturalization Ceremony at the Old Courthouse (by the Arch, 11 N. 4th St.). The ceremony is held in conjunction with the United States Citizenship & Immigration Service and features Constitution activities as well as the naturalization ceremony for new citizens. This would be a great opportunity for homeschoolers to explore what it means to be a citizen and to talk about the process of becoming a citizen for people who are not born in the US.

For more information call Rick at 314-655-1725 or visit the Naturalization ceremony website.

ParkPalooza--Sept 12-13

If you haven't found anything else you'd like to do this weekend (which would be amazing) and think you could use a little time outside, rockwall climbing, reel casting, wildlife encounters, biking and kids’ crafts are just a few of the hands-on activities planned for ParkPalooza 2009 on the grounds of the Gateway Arch.

Created and hosted by the National Park Service, in collaboration with its partners Jefferson National Parks Association and Metro, this free, interactive event is designed to celebrate the fun, education and recreation offered at America’s national, state and local parks across the country.

On Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, ParkPalooza will feature 10 interactive stations representing both natural and cultural parks on the Arch grounds, and will introduce visitors to the themes and activities found in parks and public lands across the country, including:

Lost Worlds – hands-on archeology activities
Into the Woods – map and compass skills, GPS and geo-caching
The Great Outdoors – camping and backpacking skills, giant river aquarium, reel casting and fitness
Float Your Boat – water safety and conservation
Rock Climbing – climbing skills and safety on simulated rock walls
Mississippi River Trail – recreational enjoyment, conservation and fitness opportunities along the Mississippi River Trail, including a 40-foot-long floor map for visitors to “walk” the trail, and historic New Orleans jazz performances
People Powered – fitness, active living and recreation along Mississippi River Trail, including bike courses
Past Meets Present – 19th century folk-life and hands-on activities
Nature Zone – wildlife encounters and activities
Ranger Station– entrance stations with event information and more

All events are free but food and refreshments, as well as ParkPalooza-related merchandise, will be available for purchase.

Thanks, Mallory!

Edgewood's 175th Anniversary Homecoming--Sept 12

Join in celebrating Edgewood Children's Center’s 175th Anniversary at their homecoming event on Saturday, September 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Edgewood’s campus in Webster Groves. Enjoy a barbecue lunch, walking tours of campus, live music and a history panel discussion led by KETC Channel 9’s Patrick Murphy. The event is free and open to the community.

For more information, call 314-919-4733.

Polish festival--Sept 11-12

It is apparently the month for festivals!

Explore your Polish heritage at the Polish festival held Saturday and Sunday at the Polish Falcons Gardens (2013 St. Louis Avenue). There will be authentic Polish food and pastries as well as music and games. A Polka band will provide music Friday and Saturday night from 6:30-10:30pm (which means you're sure to see some great dancing!).

The festival is open for lunch on Friday from 11am-1pm and then dinner will be served from 4-7:30pm. Lunch/dinner will be served on Saturday from noon to 7pm. I don't have any information on the cost of the meals but I assume there is a charge for food.

Bissell House Craft Fair--Aug 23 and 24

The house of Daniel Bissell, military commander of the Upper Louisiana Territory, was built in 1812 and now displays artifacts and other decorative arts and furnishing from the 19th century. The Bissell House will be hosting a Craft Fair from 10am-4pm on Sunday and Monday, Aug 23 and 24. The Bissell House is no longer open to the public except for special events, so this is a great opportunity to see a bit of history.

The Bissell House is located at 10225 Bellefontaine Road, Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO. For more information, please call 314-544-6224.