I hope that you are doing well. My apologies for leaving you hanging for the first part of the month. However, I do not doubt the fact that you found plenty of things to do in our great city without my suggestions. It's been said that August is the Sunday of Summer, and although we are nearly halfway through, I did not want to let the month go by without reminding you of some of wonderful opportunities for you to get and enjoy St. Louis with me!
August 12- August 16
If you are looking for something to do tonight, you can join me at Troy's Jazz Gallery for a happy hour with the National Sales Network of St. Louis. You could also head over to Yappy Hours, with your dog and friends for a free good time at the Biergarten at Anheuser- Busch. There will be beer for you and biscuits for your dog. An event perfect for you and your four legged-friend. Also on Wednesday, Cherokee Nights is back! With 29 artists and businesses taking over Cherokee Street, it's bound to be a lot of fun. The Blank Space Gallery will be hosting a night full of funk and soul as DJ Hal Greens performs at Fat Night.
Faust Park will be the place to be on Thursday for Feast in the Park at Faust, an evening filled with food trucks, good music, drinks, and great people! Also on Thursday, the Stray Dog Theatre will present the World Premiere of Spellbound: A Musical Fable, the story of a young woman's journey for inner strength and self-worth.
Friday August 14, The Saint Louis Zoo will have another great Dance party. This week Mood Swings will be jammin' at Jungle Boogie. Fun for all ages, there will be different activities for the kids to enjoy at this free concert. If you're looking for some more live music, you might find me in Grand Center for their Music @ The Intersection. They will kick-off the party with a happy hour concert in Strauss Park; followed by over a dozen great live bands and DJs in a variety of venues. One of my favorites, Big Brother Thunder and the MasterBlasters, will be at the Stage at KDHX, and DJ Hal Greens will be at Dooley's Beef & Brew House. There will be plenty more live soul, R&B and hip-hop music including The Tiffany Elle Show, Nappy DJ Needles, Black Spade and more. The party doesn't stop til 2AM, and it is all free!
In response to the violence that has been plaguing our wonderful city, the Stop the Violence Walk and Community Fair will kickoff at Fairground Park at 7:00am on Saturday. The peaceful march will commence at 9:00a. There will be over 100 social service providers, companies, and organizations helping promote and empower the community. Afterwards, how about a day trip on Saturday to the Inaugural Defiance Wine Country Art Festival at the Wine Country Gardens where you will find plenty of wine, food and art on display, as well as booths representing local businesses. Later, if you haven't made it to the "Ferguson Remembered" exhibit at the 10th Street Gallery , it is definitely worth stopping by. It features art produced by 10 of St. Louis' own artists. Also on Saturday, STL Up Late will launch a Kickstarter campaign in Grand Center for the transition of their local live show to television! Enjoy live music from funk band Hazard to ya booty , food and drinks while hanging out with the cast and creators of the show! You can join me for the 10th Annual Urban League Young Professionals Urban Renaissance Gala! If you miss the Gala, you can meet me at the ULYP Gala After Party hosted by Urbane St. Louis. Also on Saturday night, you can check out the rock cover party band Dr. Zhivegas, who will be performing at Mile277 in South County .
August 17- August 23
On Wednesday, the Streets of St. Charles will be live as Abbey Road Warriors perform at the StreetsFest. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the free music and dancing. There will also be food and drink vendors like Tucanos Brazilian Grill, Dewey's Pizza, U- Swirl, and Bar Louie.
Thursday, Urban Matter will be hosting reMAKE , an upcycling event for the true crafters at heart. For $5 you will be able to create coasters, bracelets and other jewelry from cardboard boxes, scrapped wood, tossed clothes, and pretty much anything else that might look like trash to the untrained eye.
On Friday, pack up the kids and head over to Emerson Free Family Night for a fun time with over 100 exhibits at The Magic House ! Also on Friday from 5-8pm, Miss Jubilee will be performing at Jungle Boogie during an outdoor concert at the St. Louis Zoo. This will be a free concert with different animal related activities for kids of all ages to enjoy. You can join me as I kickoff my birthday weekend downtown on Friday for the 2015 Rise Up Festival happening on Washington Ave. between 16th and 17th street. The event will feature live music by Dirty Muggs and the Jeremiah Johnson Band, as well as a craft show, kids circus area, and food & drinks from Urban Chestnut. Also on Friday at Frontier Park, St. Charles' Fete des Petites Cotes or (Festival of Little Hills if you prefer) features food, music, and vendors selling handmade trinkets. You'll be able to purchase anything from soap, candles, pottery, and jewelry. The Festival of Little Hills will be the perfect place to get those one of the kind pieces and enjoy the entertainment the festival has to offer.
On Saturday, you can watch me do a poor imitation of a golfer at the NSN Golf Tournament at Far Oaks Golf Course. Later, join me at the 2nd Annual St. Louis World's Fare Heritage Festival, which will be taking over Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park. There will be live music, food, drinks and more! Last year's event was great, and this years' two-day event ( I like to think in honor of my birthday tomorrow :) ) will be filled with the elements of the original 1904 World's Fair while highlighting the culture of St. Louis today! You can head over to the Hartford Coffee Company for an art opening by Sandra Ure Griffin. Later on Saturday, If you didn't laugh hard enough at me playing golf, stop by The Improv Shop on Saturday
at 8p, and enjoy their Longform Showcase and for only 5 bucks, prepare to laugh until you cry!
On Sunday, aka my birthday, you'll find me back in Forest Park for the World's Fare, checking out the funky jazz styling of The Peoples Key , playing backyard games and more! Later, I will be purifying myself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka, or perhaps the waters of not one, but two dumpsters filled with water, beer, and great people at the 3rd Annual Dumpster Dive at the Fortune Teller Bar.
August 24- August 31
On Wednesday, prepare for an evening of great soul music as The World Chess Hall of Fame Monthly Music Series will be hosting Brian Owens.
You have to catch Big Brother Thunder and the MasterBlasters performing at this Friday's Jungle Boogie at the St. Louis Zoo! Also, the Alt Art Fair 2015 kicks off on Friday. This major exhibition of Outsider Art, is surely worth checking out. Also on Friday, Craft Alliance will host an opening reception for their Speaking with Threads exhibit featuring 7 artists using linear elements as their chosen method of communication. Pepperland: A Beatles Review will be onstage Friday at Off Broadway.
On Saturday, you find me in Tower Grove park where the International Institute will be hosting one of my favorite festivals of the year! The annual Festival of Nations is a celebration of cultures and diversity through St. Louis. There will be traditional foods, art, and music for your enjoyment on Saturday and Sunday! Saturday's lineup includes Samba Bom, Joia:World Percussion, Dubtronix Reggae, Salsa with Carmen Guynn and so much more! Also on Saturday, the Inaugural Lumiere's Taste of the City on the Landing will be held at Chairman's Lot at Lumiere Place. It will feature some of the Landing's signature restaurants like Ozzie's Sports Bar and Grill, Steve's Hot Dogs, Cielos, and Mission Taco. There will be cooking demos and live music- not to mention FREE admission! Thornhill Mansion at Faust Park will be having an Open House from 1p-5p. You will be able to explore the home of Missouri's 2nd Governor Frederick Bates and learn how he molded the state into what it is today. Also on Saturday, Craft on Tap will be in the heart of Clayton. Finally, on Saturday, just south of Busch Stadium in Downtown St. Louis the original nighttime bike ride through the city kicks off at midnight as the 52nd Annual Moonlight Ramble provides an enjoyable experience complete with a vendor area, entertainment , and even a glow in the dark commemorative t-shirt!
Sunday August 30, the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum presents Nanjing Style: Photographs from Our Sister City. These works of art were created by photographers from the Federation of the Art in Nanjing, China. The photographers were able embrace the creativity of a different culture while documenting everyday activities in every exhibit. Of course, I'll be back in Tower Grove Park at the Festival of Nations checking out the Belly Dance Mirage, theO'Faioain Irish Dance Academy, The Gentleman of Vision Step Team, Latin Dancing with Lauren Wilmore and more! Also on Sunday, Sloup, the monthly gathering of friends, artists, and soup lovers will be at Death in The Afternoon. For a donation of $10 you get a bowl of soup and the chance to VOTE on a creative idea. Artists and activists present their proposals, the crowd votes, and the winner gets all of the money raised!
Yes, we certainly have another great month in St. Louis to enjoy. Let's make the most of it! As always, don't hesitate to let me know if there is anything that I can do for you.
All the best. -Nate
