Fair St. Louis Will Bring Together the Best of the Fourth

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Fair St. Louis is a star-spangled celebration not to be missed. With all of the different Fourth of July events happening throughout the area this weekend, Fair St. Louis provides the best in music, food, vendors and kids entertainment. The fair runs for two days, opening at 6 p.m. on July 3 and 11 a.m. on July 4.

This year the main stage’s big draws are two big bands and one small duo.  The Counting Crows will start the weekend and play July 3 at 8:00 p.m. The band is known for such hits at “Mrs. Jones” and “Actually in Love”. On July 4 the afternoon will start with a performance by Nat and Alex Wolff, two young entertainers best known for their hit Nickelodeon series The Naked Brothers Band. July Fourth’s music performances will be brought to a close by Train who will take to the stage at 8:00 p.m. Train is a rock band that has sold over 4 million albums and is best known for songs such as “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” and  “When I Look To The Sky”. Other local artists such as Magnolia Summer, The Feed, The Incurables, Green River Ordinance, and Jon Hardy and the Public will be occupying the stage between the main acts.

One of the best things about Fair St. Louis is always the perpetual smell of delicious food coming from the grounds. You will have plenty to choose from; pulled pork sandwiches, philly cheesesteaks, pad thai, turkey legs, kabobs and gyros are always crowd favorites. If you choose to wash your food down with a cold beverage, know that quenching your thirst is for a good cause. The beverage booths are staffed by volunteers and raise funds for local charities. In 2008, the Fair Saint Louis Foundation donated nearly $100,000 to 12 non-profit groups through the Community Vendor Program.

Fair St. Louis will have plenty to offer in kids entertainment as well. The K-Town Kids Zone has its own performance stage and will feature circus, music, drumline and dance performances. There are also planned competitions for kids of all ages to take part in and attractions like an arcade zone, inflatable games and a rock-climbing wall. The best part about the activities is that they are all entirely free.

On Saturday, the 132nd annual Veiled Prophet Parade plans to officially kick off Independence Day and promises to bring huge crowds to the fairgrounds. The annual spectacular winds through downtown St. Louis starting at 10 a.m. and will be lead by the parade's honorary grand marshal, Fredbird. The parade theme, “Everybody Needs A Vacation,” promises some fun floats and over 100 units will stretch the parade to be about five miles long.

Each night will close in an earsplitting and eye-popping display- fireworks. Put on by Gateway Fireworks Display, Fair St. Louis’s fireworks shows have, in the past, been ranked in the top ten for Fourth of July Fireworks displays in the United States. This year Gateway Fireworks Display promises the same quality.

Though Fair St. Louis is always an excellent event, a few flaws are ever present in its organization. Here are a few tips to avoid hassle. You are getting a free day at the fair but your car is not. Skip expensive parking altogether by taking the Metrolink into downtown or park in garages typically used for Busch Stadium parking since the Cardinals are out of town. Traffic after the fireworks can be a nightmare. Either leave early and watch the fireworks from your car (preferably not while driving as to avoid accidents) or just stick around downtown and grab some food while you wait for the traffic to clear out. If you want to see a performance on the main stage, get there on time so there is still space for you to garb a seat on the stairs in front of the Arch, a perfect seat to hear the music and a perfect view for the show. Also, no pets are allowed on fair grounds, no matter how much you love Fido, make sure to leave him at home.

With so much happening at Fair St. Louis this year there is no way toastedrav can preview everything, so head to celebratestlouis.org to find out all the details.

Image courtesy of Celebrate St. Louis