Rose Society and Rock Garden Society shows--May 29

The Botanic Garden is hopping this time of year and there are two more shows that you might be interested in.


The Rose Society of Greater St. Louis show and sale will be held in the Orthwein Floral Display Hall in the Ridgway Visitor Center on Saturday from noon to 5pm. New cultivars and old favorites are shown and sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Remember to go before noon if you want free admission to the Garden!

For those of you with a little less green in your garden, the Gateway Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society sale is also this Saturday. The show will be held in the Beaumont Room in the Ridgway Visitor Center from 9am to 5pm. New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization.

Horticultural Society and Bonsai Society Shows--May 22

The Missouri Botanic Garden is hosting two shows this Saturday which cover quite a bit of ground! Both shows run from 9am to noon in the Ridgway Visitor Center and admission to the shows is included with Garden admission (remember to go before noon to get free entry to the Garden!).

St. Louis Horticultural Society sale. New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization in the Orthwein Floral Display Hall.


Bonsai Society of Greater St. Louis show and sale. New cultivars and old favorites are shown and sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization in the Beaumont Room.

Greater St Louis Iris Society Show--May 8

The Missouri Botanic Garden will be hosting the Greater St. Louis Iris Society show this Saturday. New cultivars and old favorites are shown by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. The show will be held in the Orthwein Floral Display Hall at the Ridgway Visitor Center. The show runs from noon to 5pm but if you want free admission to the Garden you will need to go before noon. Entry to the show is included with Garden admission.

Clydesdale Camera Day--May 1

On the first Saturday of every month from 11am to 1pm you can have your picture taken with an Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale. If you've never seen one of these gentle giants in person be prepared to be amazed. They are huge and beautiful!

The picture area will be set up in the parking lot of the brewery, close to the entrance for tours. For more information, see the Anheuser-Busch website or call 314-577-2626.

Herb Days at the Missouri Botanical Garden--May 1

Don't miss Herb Days at the Missouri Botanical Garden, presented by the Garden Gate Shop and the St. Louis Herb Society. Herbs are perfect for growing in small spaces like apartments and balconies, so if you've been looking to grow something this would be a great place to start!

Choose from a wide selection of potted fresh herbs, including new and hard-to-find varieties. The society’s popular cookbook, periodicals and curry powder will also be available. Herb Society members will give demonstrations and guidance on selecting, planting, growing and using herbs. The show will run from 9am to 5pm in the Orthwein Floral Display Hall. Entry to the herb show is included with Garden admission, which is free on Saturday before noon for city and county residents.

St Louis Storytelling Festival--Apr 28-May 1

There's more than I could ever begin to list happening at the annual St Louis Storytelling Festival! The Storytelling Festival has been around for 30 years(!) and this year starts Wednesday, April 28, and continues through Saturday, May 1.

There are so many events that I can't even list the schedule, but know that there will be stories for adults, ghost stories, stories for the deaf, storytelling concerts and spiritual storytelling.

For the complete schedule, see the St Louis Storytelling Festival website. For more information, call 314-516-6590.

Mid-America Regional Lily Society--April 17

Lilies are one of my favorite flowers and I'm always blown away by how many different types there actually are. If you like lilies, don't miss the Mid America Regional Lily Society Sale at the Missouri Botanical Garden this Saturday. Admission to the sale is included with Garden admission which is free until noon for St Louis City and County residents.

New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who will be on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. The Lily sale will be held in the Orthwein Floral Display Hall inside the Ridgway Visitor Center from 9am to 5pm. I should confess that I'm not so much a buyer as a looker! :)

For more information check out the Botanical Garden website or the Mid America Regional Lily Society website.

Greater St Louis Daffodil Society Show--March 27

If you want to see spring, visit the Greater St Louis Daffodil Society Show on March 27! The Missouri Botanical Garden will be hosting the show from 9am to 5pm in the Beaumont Room at the Ridgway Visitor Center (St Louis City and County residents receive free admission to the Garden until noon on Saturday). Top growers in the area will share new cultivars as well as old favorites and will be available to share plant care advice. In addition, the Society will be hosting a photography contest for amateurs, professionals and youth. Check out their website for more information.

Daffodils are one of the true signs of spring to me and this is sure to brighten away those winter blues!

For more information, visit the Greater St Louis Daffodil Society website.

Note: The show is being held both Saturday and Sunday, but admission is only free on Saturday until noon for St Louis City and County residents so I have only listed this as a Saturday event.

Horticultural Therapy Awareness Day--March 20

The Missouri Botanical Garden will be sponsoring Horticultural Therapy Awareness Day to introduce visitors to the numerous physical and mental benefits that plants and gardening provide. From 10am to 3pm on Saturday, March 20, visitors can explore a demonstration healing garden, stop by stations to experience different plants and how they can impact various senses, pot a sensory plant to take home, make an arrangement of cut flowers, and watch demonstrations of ergonomic gardening tools.

All activities will be held inside the upper level of the Ridgway Visitor Center and are included with visitor admission, which is free for St Louis City and County residents until noon on Saturday (so go early!).

For more information, visit the Missouri Botanical Garden website or call 314-577-9400.

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.

13th Annual Spirit of St Louis Canine Games--Sept 27

For some fun with your furry friends, head out to the 13th Annual Spirit of St Louis Canine Games! Purina Farms will be hosting the event this Sunday from 8:30am to 4pm.

The canine games are open to all purebred and mixed breed dogs and their humans. No experience is necessary to participate. Events include agility, obedience/rally, conformation, tricks, training demos, lure coursing, flyball, frisbee, retrieving, harness, rescue dog parage, raffles and prizes, vendors and much more.

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.

Great Forest Park Balloon Race--Sept 19

The Great Forest Park Balloon Race takes to the skies on Saturday with tons of activities for the whole family!

Race day activities include a parachute team exhibition, children's entertainment area, an all British car show and a photo contest prior to the launch of the hare and hound balloons at 4:30pm.

From the website:

"Spend your day in beautiful Forest Park and help celebrate the 20th Birthday of the Energizer Bunny. The Purina Children's Entertainment area is filled with pony rides, games, and other activities for kids (not all of these activities are free, but I don't have cost information just be aware). The Entertainment Stage features a variety of local talent. During the Photo contest the public can enter the balloon field and take pictures of their favorite balloons. Prizes will be awarded for the best photographs. The Skydiving Team performs and lands in the center of the launch field. The race begins when the Energizer Bunny Balloon takes off ahead of the pack and then 70 "hound" balloons launch in pursuit. The balloon dropping a birdseed baggie closest to the Energizer Bunny Balloon will be declared the winner."

12:00pm: Festivities begin! Purina Children's Entertainment
Area & Incredible Dogs,.. Food Courts...Pony Rides...
Walgreens Health Screenings... Stages... Energizer
Bunny ears...More.
1:00pm: Entertainment Stage Opens
2:00pm: Photo Contest details
3:00pm: Skydivers
3:30pm: Opening Ceremonies
4:30pm: Energizer Hot "Hare" Balloon Launch and celebrates
20th Birthday
4:45pm: "Hound" Balloon Launch begins

St Louis Strassenfest--Sept 18-20

Head west to Chesterfield for St Louis Strassenfest! This annual event celebrates the tradition of German Gemutlichkeit. Entertainment includes continuous German music on two separate stages, carnival rides, game booths, authentic German food, arts and crafts booths featuring artists, painters, RAKU pottery and much more. There will also be a children’s village with petting zoo, storytellers and jugglers.

The opening ceremony will be Friday night at 7pm on the Glockenspiel Stage. Following that will be lots of entertainment from various German musicians and dancers.

On Saturday, activities and entertainment start at noon and last until 11pm. Sunday's activities and entertainment start at noon but will end at 6pm.

The festival will be held in Central Park in Chesterfield behind Chesterfield Mall.

For more information call 636-225-1730 or visit the Strassenfest website.

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.

Gateway Cup Bicycle Race--Sept 4-7

Pro-am cyclists will compete for cash and prizes and others will compete for medals in four bicycle races over Labor Day weekend during the Gateway Cup Bicycle Race. The first race is the Lafayette Square Criterium around historic Lafayette Square on Friday. Other races include the Washington Avenue Criterium on Saturday, Giro de la Montagne in The Hill Neighborhood on Sunday and the University City Loop Criterium on Monday in the Loop Neighborhood.

For the full schedule and more information, visit the Gateway Cup website or call 314-644-6445.

Festival of Nations--Aug 29 and 30

Each August, our region’s largest multi-cultural international festival kicks off in Tower Grove Park as the Festival of Nations. More than 50 ethnic troupes offer a colorful kaleidoscope of ethnic dance, music, and fun. Free admission with food and gifts galore available for purchase--tour Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and more without leaving St. Louis!

Three different stages will provide entertainment in the form of ethnic song and dance (see the schedule of performers here). The Culture Corner will feature artists ranging from lacemaking to tinworking to sugar skulls. For dancers, check out the Village Green where performers will show off their Flamenco, belly dance, and hula skills. Events will run from 10am to 7pm on Saturday and from 10am to 6pm on Sunday.

The Festival of Nations is located in the southeast corner of Tower Grove Park, close to the intersection of Arsenal and Grand. A free shuttle will be running throughout Tower Grove so you can park in the park or on the surrounding streets. While it's a lot of fun to wander through the Festival (who knows? You might find yourself in the middle of an interactive dance lesson!), if you're looking for something specific be sure to check out the Festival map.

For more information, call 314-773-9090 or visit the International Institute website.

Skating at Hardee's IcePlex--Aug 15

Celebrate 100 Years of Disney on Ice at Hardee's IcePlex with a free public ice skating session from noon to 3pm on Saturday! Skate rental is free at Hardee's IcePlex so this is a great opportunity to take the whole family ice skating.

Wear a Disney Costume and you are entered to win a $125-valued Bronze Birthday Party. In addition, other great raffle items and food specials will be available!

For directions or more info, please see the Hardee's IcePlex website.

Thanks, Jeri!