The Real Life STL guide to weekend events in  St. Louis from Thursday, September 18 through Sunday, September 21, 2014.

Highlighted Event

Taste of St. Louis: The 10th annual award-winning Budweiser Taste of St. Louis will be hosted for the first time in Chesterfield this year. The festivities include the region’s best restaurants on Sauce Magazine’s Restaurant Row, the Stella Artois Chef Battle Royale Culinary Competition, the showcase stage which will offer intimate showcases enhanced by audience interaction to include baking and pastry demos, food and beer pairings, special cooking techniques, and other must-see culinary presentations, the Art & Wine Walk, sponsored by Sachs Properties, Kid City, the marketplace, and new this year: attendees can purchase Bud Light Amphitheater show tickets for Friday and Saturday nights of the event, featuring nationally acclaimed Food Network culinary celebrities including Tyler Florence of “The Great Food Truck Race” & “Food Court Wars” and Big Head Todd and the Monsters on Friday and Duff from Ace of Cakes and The Urge on Saturday. Free Show on Sunday: Groovethang, That 80s Band, and fireworks!

Date: Sept 19-21
Time: Fri: 4-10pm, Sat: 11am-10pm, Sun: 11am-9pm
Place: Chesterfield Amphitheater

Thursday

South Grand Dine Around: Get your taste buds ready for an array of great foods from around the world all at the 6th annual South Grand dining event. For your choice of an appetizer, entrée, dessert, drink, and a wild card to choose another course besides entrée for only $30 in advance and $35 the day of the event at participating venues. Participating restaurants include: Lemongrass, Cafe Mochi, City Diner, Basil Spice, Mangia Italiano, Mekong, King & I, Tree House Vegetarian, Gelateria De Leone, and more.

Date: Sept 18
Time: 5-10pm
Place: South Grand from Arsenal to Humphrey

Not So Quiet Concert Series: The St. Louis Public Library’s popular NOT SO QUIET! Concert Series is proud to present sizzling jazz trumpeter and vocalist Dawn Weber. The show is FREE and open to the public. Seating is first-come, first-served. Weber’s jazz-infused, funk-inspired style makes audiences want to dance in the aisles. As one of the top performers in the St. Louis region, Weber performs both solo and with The Electro Funk Assembly, Naked Rock Fight, The Dawn Weber Group, and sometimes in the trumpet section of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. This is an all ages concert. Concerts takes place every third Thursday.

Date: Sept 18
Time: 7-8:30pm
Place: Central Auditorium – 1301 Olive St

Friday & Saturday

Fall Frollick at Third Degree: Enjoy an evening of fiery fun, glass pumpkins, glass bling, food trucks, and more. Glassblowing demonstrations put the GLOW in hot entertainment. See artists create art live from glowing hot molten glass. Annual Glass Pumpkin Extravaganza. Get ‘em while they’re hot! Browse a wide selection of hand-blown glass pumpkins and gourds created by Third Degree artists. Traditional orange, contemporary colors, or wild & whimsical. Bead-dazzled and GLOW at Glass Galore. This two-day glass show & sale of glass jewelry, beads, marbles, and sculptures by members of the St. Louis Lampworker’s Society. Cash bar with Drink of the Month: Apple Jack. Third Friday Food Trucks keep you out of the kitchen: Bombay Food Junkie (vegetarian), Seoul Taco, Sarah’s Cupcakes, and Sia’s Italian Ice. At 8pm, the Salt of the Earth Band tunes up original roots and instrumentals, bluegrass and Americana. Check out the East Gallery: Glass Galore. Beaded creations by SLLS members are framed and presented and on view through October 14. Sundown Fire Spinning.

Date: Friday, Sept 19
Time: 6pm
Place: Third Degree Glass Factory – 5200 Delmar

Webster Kick-Off Celebration Block Party & Garden Glow: 100 Years and Counting – The celebration kicks off with a free lunchtime block party at 9th and Locust in the heart of downtown. We’re closing off the street and taking over Old Post Office Plaza from 11am-2pm. Hear live music from Webster alumni Erin Bode and Samba Bom. Enjoy lunch from savory food trucks including Yo! Taco, Andrew’s Bayou Ribs, The Meltdown and Sarah’s Cake shop. Take a selfie with Webster’s mascot, the Gorlok, along with his friends from all of STL’s professional teams! Plus street chess, hoops, and beer garden. Then head over to the Homecoming Garden Glow Wine Tasting and Beer Garden. Visit, mingle and meet the community as we welcome home Webster’s alumni, students and parents for the 2014-2015 school year as the Anheuser-Busch Rain Garden is illuminated with lanterns and lights. Enjoy wine from Webster Groves own Garland Wines and St. Louis’ favorite beer company, Anheuser-Busch. Also, get to know some of Webster’s own alumni and faculty authors from 5:30-7pm. Then head over to the Winifred-Moore Auditorium and meet star of stage and screen, Oscar Award nominee and 50 year reunion honor class member Marsha Mason BA’64, as she speaks about her career and screens her favorite film Only When I Laugh.

Date: Sept 19
Time: Block Party: 11am-2pm, Homecoming Garden Glow: 5:30-7:30
Place: Old Post Office-downtown & East Academic Bldg-545 Garden Ave

South Grand Movie Night: Bring a blanket (or 3), some snacks, maybe some hot chocolate and lay under the stars for the last movie night of the season. Featured Movie: Honey I Shrunk The Kids: Directed by Joe Johnston, this 1989 family film tell the story of a scientist father of a teenage girl and boy who accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them. Movie begins at 7pm.

Date: Sept 19
Time: 7-10pm
Place: South Grand Parking Lot – 3500 Hartford

Collinsville Italian Fest: Collinsville, IL has been celebrating the Italian culture and heritage that our city was built on. The Fest is a family friendly event with something for everyone. Events include a Grape Stomp, Bocce Ball Tournament, a 5K, kids fun run and Diaper Dash, parade, martial arts demo, Paisan Pedal Push, Little Mister and Miss Italian Fest Pageant, and more. Plus live entertainment all weekend including Slick Ice Blue Band, Hicktown, Gracefully Yours Dance Academy, Lady and the Tramps, Rickie Lee Tanner, Johnny Rock-Itt, The Ultra Violets, and more. There will also be in Italian Film and exhibit, wine garden, authentic Italian fare including Fest favorites like spedini, Italian beef, spumoni, bagna cauda, canolli, and Italian Ices, raffle drawings, Budweiser Clydesdales, and tons of vendors.

Date: Sept 19 & 20
Time: 11am-10pm
Place: Uptown Collinsville – Main and SR 159

The Great Forest Park Balloon Race: This annual event that has over 70 balloons, is held in the middle of a major city and is the most attended one-day balloon race in the country. All the events are free and open to the public. You can even bring your pet, cooler and blanket. The event begins with the balloon glow from 7pm-9pm with a fireworks display at 9:15pm. Be sure to get there early if you want a good spot. When the balloons are about to light up, you will hear a horn, then watch all the balloons light up at the same time. You can also walk around and get an up close and personal look at each beautiful balloon. We gave away VIP tickets to this festival last month through our Friday Vine monthly giveaway. Subscribe or like us on Facebook to receive weekly updates about all of our contests. Come back on Saturday to see the race. There will be live music on the School of Rock stage, a photo contest, skydivers, and more from 12-6:30pm.

Date: Sept 19 & 20
Time: Fri: 7pm, Sat: 12-6:30pm
Place: Forest Park – Central Field

MOSAICS, Missouri Festival for the Arts: Hosted annually by the Art Festival Association, this festival offers a free, family-friendly community arts event that has provided art appreciation, live entertainment, children’s art education activities and enjoyment for the past 20 years. Approximately 100 juried artists exhibit, sell their art, and compete for cash prize awards. Paintings, sculptures, photography, glass, jewelry, metal and woodworking are just a sample of the 16 media represented. Check out the children’s village for hands-on art activities for the little ones, and the entertainment stage with Cornbread Morning Show co-host Judi Diamond, the SAFB Hot Brass Band, St. Charles High School Orchestra, The Original Boneheads, the Blanchette Trio, Irie Sun, and more.

Date: Sept 19-21
Time: Fri: 4-9pm, Sat: 11am-9pm, Sun: 11am-5pm
Place: 100 N Main St – St. Charles

Belleville Bicentennial Oktoberfest Weekend Celebration: The traditional Belleville Oktoberfest will not be held this year due to the city celebrating its 200th anniversary. The Bicentennial Oktoberfest Weekend Celebration will be held in downtown Belleville instead. Music headliners include The Beach Boys on Friday night, Confederate Railroad, Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin, Darryl Worley on Saturday and LoCash Cowboys and Craig Morgan on Sunday night. Other local favorites appearing during the weekend include Steve Ewing and Old Salt Union. Aside from music, the celebration will include historic demonstrations, Civil War re-enactments, rides, a petting zoo, vintage baseball and a naturalization ceremony. A variety of food and drinks will be available for purchase, including German cuisine. Organizers will attempt to grill a 200-foot bratwurst on Sunday morning at 11 am. Donations will be accepted in exchange for a piece of the finished bratwurst and proceeds will go to Belleville-area food pantries. Admission to the entire weekend celebration is free.

Date: Sept 19-21
Time: Fri: 10am-11pm, Sat: 10am-11pm, Sun: 10am-9pm
Place: Downtown Belleville

Old Webster Jazz & Blues Fest: One of the most family-friendly jazz festivals on the planet and it’s free. The Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival promises non-stop jazz and blues from two stages. This event showcases St. Louis’ most talented performers including: Funky Butt Brass Band, Big Brother Thunder and The Master Blasters, Gene Dobbs Bradford and The Blues Experience, Webster University Jazz Ensemble, Marquise Knox with Special Guest Big George Brock, 442s with Special Guest Erin Bode, St. Louis Jazz All-Stars, Jim Manley & Wild, Cool and Swingin, and more. Enjoy food and drink from area restaurants. Street entertainers also amuse spectators with face-painting, juggling and balloons. Bring your kids, strollers and lawn chairs.

Date: Sept 20
Time: 12pm-11pm
Place: 117 West Lockwood Ave

South Grand Fall Festival: The South Grand Business District is excited to announce our first annual Fall Festival. The event is to celebrate what makes South Grand and its surrounding community unique, which will incorporate local artists and musicians, dancers, home brewers and, most of all, great restaurants, services and shops. Festival vendors will include local farmers, vintage, home brewers, handmade items along with a DIY Craft Zone put on by the Contemporary Art Museum and Craft Alliance. The event runs from 10AM to 4PM with participation from the vendors. Entertainment in Ritz Park continues until 10PM and includes yoga, dancers, and performances by local schools, a food demonstration, Stray Dog Theatre performance and six local bands along with street performers. Lastly, specials, discounts, demonstrations and entertainment at the businesses along South Grand Blvd will go until 10PM.

Date: Sept 20
Time: 10am-10pm
Place: South Grand- Ritz Park

Faust Heritage Fall Festival: Faust Park: a 200-acre public park that’s home to a 200 year old historic home, the St. Louis Carousel, the Butterfly House, a historic “village”, a large playground, picnic sites, trails and even a music school! Their annual heritage festival includes crafts, hayrides, carousel rides, music, food, games, and kids activities. Plus, tour historic homes, check out a historic baseball game, and historic demonstrations. The cost of admission is $5 for adults, $2 for kids 4-12 years old.

Date: Sept 20
Time: 10am-5pm
Place: 15185 Olive, Chesterfield

Oktoberfest St. Louis: Schlafly and Urban Chestnut are teaming up with 88.1 KDHX and Sauce Magazine to put on this event at the Biergarten @ Urban Chestnut. Music line-up will include: Über Cool, The Deutschmeister Brass Band, Dave Hylla’s Good Times Band, Patrick Auberry’s Accordion Duo, Larry Hallar, Lucky Dan and Naked Mike, and more. German fare will feature: Brats, Currywurst, Pretzels, Über Pretzels And for the main attraction: Choose from over 6 styles of German biers from UCBC and Schlafly – Oktoberfest, Kolsch, Schwarzbier, Oachkatzlschwoaf (Fest Bier), Schnickelfritz (Weissbier), Zwickel, and Dorfbier (Dunkel). No tickets are required for the events. You can buy a glass stein for $8 in advance or $10 at the event. After that, $8 gets you one-liter fills of “German biers”.

Date: Sept 20 & 21
Time: Sat: 11am-11pm, Sun: 12pm-7pm
Place: Urban Chestnut – 1229 Washington Ave

Soulard Art Fair: The art fair will offer street performers, magicians, mimes, stilt walkers, sketch artists, and more to give it a Montmartre Parisian feel. Taste of Soulard foods from local restaurants will be available for sampling, including Joanie’s Pizzeria, Nadine’s, 1860’s, and Julia’s Market Cafe. A wine garden will be a nice place to relax and enjoy tastings while listening to live music. It’s a family event with plenty of fun kids activities including clowns, balloons, and face painting. This is a cultural event with a Soulard flair.

Date: Sept 20 & 21
Time: Sat: 9am-7pm, Sun: 10am-5pm
Place: Soulard Market Park – Lafayette & 9th

Sunday

St. Louis Rams vs Dallas Cowboys: With the Rams win against the Buccaneers 19-17 this week, it gives us all a little boost of excitement for next Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. In addition to a great game, we also have delicious new concessions to look forward to at the dome this football season. Some of the new vendors include: Gus’ Pretzels, Crown Candy, Sugarfire Smokehouse, Strange Donuts, and my favorite, The Peacemaker, which will serve Oyster Po’Boys.Starting at 9am before the game, head to Ballpark Village for pre-game. Enjoy live music, yard games, Bloody Mary’s, Tengo Sed, all you can eat burgers and hot dogs and domestic drafts for $35, and follow The Herd Drum Line to the game.

Date: Sept 21
Time: 12pm
Place: Edward Jones Dome – Ballpark Village pre-game

St. Ann Days: Come check out this free, family friendly festival with pony rides, hay rides, face painters, magicians, inflatables, music, entertainment, and fun for everyone. Check out the car show starting at 9am. Enjoy BBQ, music, and cool classic cars. Parade will leave Tiemeyer Park at noon and head north on Ashby Road to St. Ann Park. Festival will be in St. Ann Park at the conclusion of the parade and continue until 5pm.

Date: Sept 21
Time: Car Show: 9am-3pm, Parade kicks off at 12pm
Place: St. Ann Park

To check out more about Oktoberfest festivals this weekend and in the upcoming weeks, check out Oktoberfest 2014 in St. Louis. Haunted houses open this weekend as well. Check out the Best Haunted Houses in  StL.

Mills Properties