15 Things to Do in St. Louis This January

The fun doesn’t stop after the holidays! Here are 15 things to do in St. Louis this January.

From astounding athletic feats to wild animal encounters and spectacular Broadway shows to Mardi Gras celebrations, these electrifying events will help you start the new year off right.

Harlem Globetrotters

January 6

Touring more than 400 cities in more than 25 countries, the Harlem Globetrotters are the world’s basketball team. Each game spotlights some of the best athletes on the planet, who awe audiences with ball-handling wizardry, rim-rattling dunks and the famous four-point shot. Be part of the Harlem Globetrotters 2024 World Tour when it comes to Enterprise Center.

Alton Eagle Ice Festival

January 6

In grand fashion, the Alton Eagle Ice Festival celebrates the return of wintering bald eagles to southwest Illinois. At FLOCK Food Truck Park, enjoy eagle-watching shuttle tours, food, drinks, DJ tunes, live ice-carving demonstrations and fire pits with s’more kits. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can also meet a majestic bald eagle from the World Bird Sanctuary. The National Great Rivers Museum, another site of the celebration, will offer talks by eagle experts, spotting scopes that give you a chance to view eagle nests, eagle-themed crafts and other family-friendly activities. If you want to see even more birds of prey, stop by the Audubon Center at Riverlands, where you can embark on a guided bird hike, or take a tour of the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower, where you can spot bald eagles from 50, 100 and 150 feet in the air!

Mardi Gras

January 6 to February 13

Do you bleed purple, green and gold? Plan your trip to the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis, where the nation’s second largest Mardi Gras celebration takes place! With boozy drinks and delectable eats, colorful beads and epic events – including the world’s largest parade of costumed pets – Mardi Gras in St. Louis will exceed your expectations. For more information, peruse our Mardi Gras guide, which includes dates of the funnest festivities, places to satisfy your Cajun cravings and a variety of downtown accommodations.

Wolf Howls

January 6 to March 30

The Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka offers guided howls for an exhilarating and educational evening. During the nighttime howls, you’ll learn about wolf communication. Education coordinator Jimmy Parsons can imitate each howl, and you might be lucky enough to hear the wolves howl back. During your visit, take a deep dive into the Endangered Wolf Center’s astounding legacy, as well. It’s spent 50 years working to dispel the negative imagery of wolves and promote the conservation of Mexican wolves and American red wolves, among other endangered species of canids.

To Kill a Mockingbird

January 9 and 10

All rise for Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece. The emotionally shattering landmark production of the American classic is “the most successful American play in Broadway history,” according to The New York Times Critic’s Pick. Emmy Award-winning actor Richard Thomas will play the role of Atticus Finch in the national tour of To Kill A Mockingbird, which will show at Stifel Theatre on Jan. 9 and 10.

Owl Prowls

January 12 to March 30

Walk on the wild side at the World Bird Sanctuary. During its Owl Prowls, you can meet the amazing birds that fly by moonlight. Held on select evenings from November through March every year, Owl Prowls offer an exciting opportunity to learn more about the intriguing lives of owls from a local naturalist. Come face-to-face with live owls, take an easy night hike across the grounds and try to call to an owl in the wild. Hoot. Hoot.

St. Louis Auto Show

January 18 to 21

Start your engines – the St. Louis Auto Show will return to America’s Center Convention Complex this January. As the largest automobile event in the region, the St. Louis Auto Show features more than 500 new cars, pickup trucks and SUVs from more than 25 manufacturers – all under one roof! Whether you’re a motorhead or not, you’ll find the show fascinating. Attendees can preview the latest models, learn about safety technology and inspect some of the world’s most expensive vehicles without the pressure of making a purchase.

Jagged Little Pill

January 19 to 21

Joy, love, heartache, strength, wisdom, catharsis, life – everything that we’ve been waiting to see in a Broadway show is here in the thrilling, fearless new musical based on Alanis Morissette’s world-changing music. Directed by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus with a Tony Award-winning book and a Grammy Award-winning score, Jagged Little Pill is an electrifying production about a perfectly imperfect American family, which “vaults the audience to its collective feet,” according to The Guardian. During the performances of Jagged Little Pill at The Fabulous Fox, you’ll live, you’ll learn and you’ll remember what it’s like to feel truly human.

Hot Country Nights

January 19 to March 8

Every winter, Hot Country Nights heat up the Gateway City. This month, country artists Drew Baldridge (Jan. 19) and Chase Matthew (Jan. 26) will take the stage at Bally Sports Live! in Ballpark Village.

The Loop Ice Carnival

January 20

One of St. Louis’ coolest signature events takes place in the Delmar Loop. On Jan. 20, The Loop Ice Carnival will celebrate the season with live ice-carving demonstrations, astounding ice sculptures, impressive fire performers and festive stilt walkers. You can also join the playful scavenger hunt, roast marshmallows for s’mores and have your face painted.

Funny Girl

January 23 to February 4

Coming to The Fabulous Fox, Funny Girl is a love letter to the theater. Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time – and tap choreography to boot – the sensational Broadway revival dazzles with celebrated songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star” and “People.” The bittersweet comedy follows the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened – she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.

Dwell: Dynamic Reflections

January 25

Chamber Project St. Louis invites you to explore a sense of place, space and time with music for clarinet, strings and piano. In this concert at the World Chess Hall of Fame, work by Paul Schoenfeld will fuse traditional Klezmer folk and classical forms, while work by Jean Sibelius will connect to a beloved place. The magical night will also include Jessie Montgomery’s reflections on solitude and Paul Wiancko’s poetry for two.

Monster Jam

January 27 and 28

Monster Jam, the most action-packed motorsports event on four wheels, comes to The Dome at America’s Center on Jan. 27 and 28. At the event, you’ll witness world-class driver athletes and the most recognizable trucks tear up the dirt as they compete in intense competitions of speed and skill.

Orchid Show

January 27 to February 25

The Missouri Botanical Garden’s ever-popular orchid show returns on Jan. 27. The Garden’s vast orchid collection includes more than 6,000 individual plants representing almost 700 unique species, and approximately one in 10 orchids in the collection is threatened or endangered. Different species bloom at different times, so the orchid show is constantly changing – and always exciting. See it for yourself!

Live at the Pulitzer: Material and Memory

January 30

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Live at the Pulitzer series will celebrate its 20th anniversary this season. Inspired by our city’s past and present, the SLSO celebrates, reflects and relates in this performance at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. Music invites us to engage with the spirit of St. Louis, echoed through the sonic worlds of St. Louis-born Olly Wilson and current resident Christopher Stark. Allison Loggins-Hull will also prompt audiences to reflect on our homeland, while Laurence Crane and Cassie Wieland create gentle spaces for continued contemplation.