PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAYRA SHERMAN, COURTESY OF BEST OF MISSOURI MARKET
This weekend, the picturesque Shaw neighborhood takes the spotlight with the 30th edition of a pair of well-loved events in close proximity: the Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Shaw Art Fair at Flora Place and Tower Grove Avenue.
As the name implies, the market offers Missouri-produced food, crafts, plants, vendors, and more. There will be 20 new vendors, as well as plenty of returning favorites. Missouri food, coffee, craft beer, and cocktails will be available. Bands will be playing. And the Kids Corner offer Imo’s Pizza, a petting zoo, and more.
Photography courtesy of Hermann Farm
A big player in this year’s market is the city of Hermann: Hermann Farm, wines from Hermannhof Winery, and spirits from the Black Shire Distillery. In fact, the distillery’s equine representative will be on hand as well.
“On Friday, for a couple hours, [the distillery] is going to be bringing one of their ginormous black shire horses,” says Abbie Driver, public events coordinator at the Missouri Botanical Garden. “Black shires are in the same species family as Clydesdales, but Clydesdales are the smallest of that family—black shires are the biggest. This guy is going to be rather large.”
And the event provides a chance to see the Missouri Botanical Garden's new Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center. “Our new building is going to be a huge focal point,” says Driver. “It’s a double whammy!”
The Best of Missouri Market runs from noon–8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $16, $8 for members, and free for festival-level members.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEN MUDD, COURTESY OF HISTORIC SHAW ART FAIR
The Shaw Art Fair is also returning to full force, bringing back some performance elements that have been on hold during the pandemic, in addition to jewelry, sculpture, paintings, prints, and more.
“We want to provide St. Louisans with an opportunity to perform and get paid for it,” says Greg Gobberdiel, event coordinator for the Shaw Art Fair. “RAC did get us a grant this year, so that’s allowed us to do a few more things that we wouldn’t otherwise have done.”
Image courtesy of Shaw Art Fair
Artist demonstrations are returning for the first time since before the pandemic. Robert Powell of the Portfolio Gallery and Education Center will bring three or four artists per day, and visitors can watch and ask questions during the creative process. “It is like an athlete,” says Gobberdiel. “I always talk about that with people—there’s the physicality of it.”
In addition to 117 artists, food trucks and tents, puppets, storytelling, African drumming, and more music will be on hand.
The fair has a significant educational component as well. Central Visual and Performing Arts High School’s Rock & Soul Band and marching band will perform, and student artists from eight local schools will show their work. A selection of the fair’s artists will visit schools, too. Says Gobberdiel, “This is encouraging these children to come out and say, ‘Wow, these are professional artists. This is what they do!’"
Shaw Art Fair runs from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets $8 in advance and $10 at the door.
