1 of 4
Courtesy of Fair St. Louis
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
2 of 4
Courtesy of Fair St. Louis
The Band Perry
The Band Perry
3 of 4
Courtesy of Fair St. Louis
The Fray
The Fray
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Courtesy of Fair St. Louis
Lake St. Louis Water Ski Club
Lake St. Louis Water Ski Club
This year, Fair St. Louis is throwing “a fair like never before,” to honor the city’s 250th birthday. In a roundabout way, it’s also honoring the Gateway Arch’s 50th (since work has commenced downtown on the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, hence the move to Forest Park this year).
Holding the Fair in Forest Park has taken a lot of prep work, including sorting out the parking situation, beefing up security on MetroLink, and figuring out where to site the parade and the music stages. The Veiled Prophet parade will start at The Muny, wind its way past the fairgrounds, then end at the golf course. (Here's the parade route.) The music stages and kids' area are arranged around the Grand Basin, and nearby attractions, including the St. Louis Zoo, Saint Louis Science Center and Saint Louis Art Museum will all have either extended hours or special activities scheduled during the holiday weekend. The finale at the end of each night is fireworks over the water of the Grand Basin, but the lake will be used for daytime entertainment as well, including a water skiing show.
As in years past, admission into the fair will be free; the theme of the parade is “Made in St. Louis,” and in keeping with that, the 26 food booths will include offerings from local restaurants, including The Cheshire and Russo’s, as well as beloved, traditional fair foods (can you say funnel cake?). There will be 11 out-of-town restaurants represented as well.
The neighborhoods around the park will be restricted to resident parking only, so planning a strategy (or two, or three) for getting to and from the park is recommended. Parking in Forest Park is free before noon on Thursday, July 3; before 10 a.m. on Friday July 4; and before 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 5. After that, it’s $30 to park. You can find detailed information on car-parking, taking Metrolink, shuttles, or riding your bike to the park on Fair St. Louis at fairsaintlouis.org/map-directions.
ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE
July 3
Parade Town Stage
5 p.m. USAF Band of Mid-America’s Hot Brass Band
6 p.m. Children’s Parade through the St. Louis Zoo
6 p.m. Smash Band
Budweiser Main Stage
5 p.m. Wake Challenge featuring performances by the St. Louis Water Ski Club and Midwest NightFLY Wakeboarders (in the Grand Basin)
7 p.m. Thompson Square
8:45 p.m. The Band Perry
10 p.m. Fireworks over the Grand Basin
July 4
10 a.m. 132rd Annual Veiled Prophet Parade
Parade Town Stage
12 p.m. 135th Army Band
12:45 p.m. Band Awards: Liberty Drum Competition
1 p.m. Roots of a Rebellion
2 p.m. Jake’s Leg
3 p.m. Ozark Mountain Daredevils
4:15 p.m. Bella & Lily
6 p.m. Cabaret Singers
7:45 p.m. Bedouin Spice Bellydancers
Budweiser Main Stage
1 p.m. Wake Challenge featuring performances by the St. Louis Water Ski Club and Midwest NightFLY Wakeboarders (in the Grand Basin)
3 p.m. Wake Challenge featuring performances by the St. Louis Water Ski Club and Midwest NightFLY Wakeboarders (in the Grand Basin)
4 p.m. Mary Lambert
5 p.m. Gavin DeGraw
6:15 p.m. Lake St. Louis Water Ski Demonstrations (in the Grand Basin)
6:45 p.m. Matt Nathanson
8 p.m. Circus Flora’s Flying Wallendas
8:30 p.m. Bonnie Raitt
10 p.m. Fireworks
July 5
Parade Town Stage
12 p.m. 135th Army Band
1 p.m. Dirty Muggs
2:30 p.m. En Vogue
4 p.m. Musiq Soulchild
5:45 p.m. Alma De Mexico
7:30 p.m. Fox Performing Arts
Budweiser Main Stage
1 p.m. Wake Challenge featuring performances by the St. Louis Water Ski Club and Midwest NightFLY Wakeboarders (in the Grand Basin)
3:30 p.m. Wake Challenge featuring performances by the St. Louis Water Ski Club and Midwest NightFLY Wakeboarders (in the Grand Basin)
6:30 p.m. The Neighbourhood
7:45 p.m. Circus Flora’s Flying Wallendas
8:15 p.m. Salute to the Troops
8:30 p.m. The Fray
10 p.m. Fireworks
