As St. Louis heats up, so does our events calendar. Plan your next trip around one of these spring and summer festivals and fairs – you won’t be disappointed.
If you’re looking for other ways to celebrate the sunniest seasons, check out our guide for the best attractions and arts, sports and sips, family travel and outdoor adventure in the region.
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March
Animals Aglow Lantern Festival
March 12 to May 11
The Chinese lantern festival Animals Aglow will return to the Saint Louis Zoo with dozens of towering lanterns and light displays this spring. Running from March 12 to May 11, Animals Aglow celebrates the culture, art and beauty of traditional lantern festivals that have been celebrated in China for centuries. This year, illuminated displays include a 100-foot-long tunnel of traditional Chinese lanterns, an interactive beehive topped with giant hummingbirds and the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, which guests can enjoy along with nightly cultural performances and specialty food and drinks. Animals Aglow will spotlight wildlife from three regions – Africa, South America and the Arctic – as well as Chinese folklore.
Buzz’d Beer Festival
March 23
During this beer festival, The Old Bakery Beer Co. will be buzzing. Stop by for samples of more than 50 beers – plus, delicious dishes and live music. In honor of its 10th anniversary, the Alton, Illinois, brewery will donate some of the festival’s profits to the Piasa Palisades Sierra Club to support its work with native pollinators.
African Film Festival
March 28 to 30
Founded in 2005 to increase dynamic conversations about the African continent on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis, the African Film Festival continues to screen international films that showcase the landscape and diversity of Africa. Every film, from Demba to Nous les Griots to Sadrack, presents a human glimpse into social realities, and attendees can join post-show discussions about the films with various filmmakers, film historians and African studies scholars.
St. Louis Jewish Film Festival
March 30 to April 8
In its 30th season, the St. Louis Jewish Film Festival will return to the B&B Theatres Creve Coeur West Olive 10 for two weeks of cinematic excellence. Dramas, documentaries, comedies and an October 7th retrospective will make up the six-day, 13-film schedule. On March 30, the festival opens with the 30-minute documentary Fiddler on the Moon, which explores some of the famous Jews who helped in the space race, followed by the premiere of Names Not Numbers, a documentary in which the faculty and students from University City’s Epstein Hebrew Academy interview Holocaust survivors. Closing opening day, the featured drama One Life stars Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter, Lena Olin and Johnny Flynn in a cinematic true story about Nicholas Winton, the young London broker who rescued more than 600 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia in the months leading up to World War II. More powerful films will follow, bringing the community together in a safe space where everyone can laugh, cry and love.
April
Art Fair at Queeny Park
April 4 to 6
Spectacular art and breathtaking design converge at the Art Fair at Queeny Park. This year, the fair will feature more than 120 juried artists displaying their original works of fine art and fine craft. Artwork for all budgets will cover a range of mediums, from paintings to prints and ceramics to sculptures. You can also enjoy live art demonstrations, live musical performances, children’s activities and food trucks throughout the weekend.
The Oddities & Curiosities Expo
April 12 and 13
From funeral collectibles to quack medicine and odd jewelry to preserved specimens, The Oddities & Curiosities Expo is your destination for all things peculiar. Everything at the show is sustainably sourced and legal to own, and alongside carefully curated vendors, dealers, small businesses and artists, sideshow performers will entertain attendees throughout the day.
St. Louis Earth Day Festival
April 26 and 27
The St. Louis Earth Day Festival is a community tradition. At the two-day event in Forest Park, guests learn about sustainable products and services offered by area businesses and organizations, including 4 Hands Brewing Co., Alpacas of Troy, Baetje Farms, Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum, Kakao Chocolate, Schlafly Beer and the World Bird Sanctuary. You can also meet local nonprofits, such as the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, which share Earth Day values, and try local restaurants, such as Salt + Smoke, which comprise the Green Dining Alliance – all while enjoying live entertainment. Whether you come for the activities, the food or the music, the St. Louis Earth Day Festival will leave you feeling inspired by the real progress being made to preserve our planet.
May
Cinco de Mayo Festival
May 3
Over the years, the Cinco de Mayo Festival on Cherokee Street has evolved into one of the largest and most diverse festivals in the St. Louis region, bringing together more than 30,000 attendees to celebrate the rich, multicultural, spirited and eclectic community within the Cherokee Street neighborhood and surrounding area. Expect six blocks of festivities, including two stages and a lucha libre wrestling ring!
Chinese Culture Days
May 3 and 4
In St. Louis, attending Chinese Culture Days at the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the most enticing – and the most exciting – ways to honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. On May 3 and 4, the Garden will come to life with Chinese pageantry, music, dance and art. At the event, you can also immerse yourself in the history and legends of China while savoring traditional cuisine. New this year, the Changchun Acrobatic Troupe will present a wide range of performances, including Chinese yo-yo, jar spinning, ground hoop and face changing, which is a traditional Sichuan opera performance art.
Laumeier Art Fair
May 9 to 11
Over Mother’s Day weekend, you can shop for one-of-a-kind artwork, savor tasty food and drinks, enjoy live music and entertainment and get creative with hands-on activities at one of the most unique attractions in St. Louis. Laumeier Sculpture Park is one of the first and largest dedicated sculpture parks in the U.S. – and the perfect setting for this exciting event. Attracting more than 17,000 patrons annually, the Laumeier Art Fair showcases 150 juried artists from across the country, who exhibit work in 10 media categories: ceramics, fiber/textiles, glass, jewelry, 2D mixed media, painting, photography/digital, printmaking/drawing, sculpture and wood.
St. Louis Microfest
May 10
Join your fellow beer lovers at the annual St. Louis Microfest, where you can sip suds from local, national and international craft breweries. The spring festival also includes tasty food and live music.
Taste of Maplewood
May 16 and 17
Taste of Maplewood spotlights the neighborhood’s renowned restaurants, delightful libations, beloved boutiques and specialty stores. In its 17th year, the festival’s vibe is distinct and unmistakable, radiating the culture and character of the local businesses. In addition to food and drinks, visitors can enjoy live entertainment on two stages.
Pointfest
May 17
The Urge, Toadies, Finger Eleven, Ludo, Sick Puppies, Alien Ant Farm, Post Sex Nachos and Oxymorrons – these artists and more will play during Pointfest at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis.
St. Louis African Arts Festival
May 24 to 26
The St. Louis African Arts Festival aims to increase awareness of the global contributions that African people and people of African descent have made through artistic, cultural and educational programs. In its 34th year, the festival is held at the World’s Fair Pavilion in Forest Park, drawing locals and visitors together to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures of African and African American people. Attendees can enjoy the African marketplace with arts and crafts, clothing and jewelry, alongside cultural demonstrations, traditional foods and African films.
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Festival Season
May 24 to June 29
Offering its signature mix of beloved classical operas and bold contemporary works, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis will present its 50th festival season from May 24 to June 29. Through the talents of hundreds of local, national and international artists, audiences will experience the magic of innovative storytelling as they travel between fantasy and reality, comedy and tragedy, love and revenge. The 2025 festival season includes Die Fledermaus (May 24 to June 28), This House (May 31 to June 29), Don Pasquale (June 8 to 27) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (June 14 to 28). All the operas will be sung in English and accompanied by the Grammy Award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Whitaker Music Festival
May 28 to July 30
The Missouri Botanical Garden is an idyllic place to listen to live music, and on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer, the garden hosts free, open-air concerts as part of the annual Whitaker Music Festival. To date, more than one million people have participated in the cherished St. Louis tradition, which promotes common heritage, celebrates diversity and encourages vitality within the community. Visitors can bring their own picnics, and food, beer, wine and sno-cones will be available for purchase.
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
May 28 to September 14
Meet us in the park for theater productions designed to reach hearts. The 2025 season of the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival begins in Forest Park. To mark its 25th production in Shakespeare Glen, the festival will turn to the masterpiece Hamlet. Expect a bold, modern take on the dark, complex family drama from renowned Shakespeare director Michael Sexton. Further into summer, the festival will bring a wild new play to the Saint Louis Zoo, where the animals put on their own Shakespeare performance. Featuring stunning animal puppetry by Michael Curry Design – which worked on The Lion King on Broadway – Romeo & Zooliet puts a delightfully playful spin on Romeo & Juliet. To close out the season, TourCO will take a bite-size version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with an all-Black cast and creative team on the road, performing in parks throughout Missouri and Illinois. The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival is “free forever to everyone always.” No reservations required.
June
The Muny
June 16 to August 24
For more than 105 years, The Muny has filled Forest Park with the sounds of Broadway. Open from June through August, the outdoor theater attracts out-of-town professionals as well as local talent for memorable musicals beginning with As You Like It, the very first production ever mounted at what would become The Muny. For its 107th season, The Muny will delight audiences with Bring It On: The Musical (June 16 to 22), Come From Away (June 26 to July 2), Disney’s Frozen (July 6 to 14), Evita (July 18 to 24), Dear Evan Hansen (July 28 to Aug. 3), La Cage aux Folles (Aug. 8 to 14) and Jersey Boys (Aug. 18 to 24). Attending a performance at The Muny with family and friends is a staple of St. Louis summers. The shows are enchanting, electrifying and empowering, and every night, there are free seats available on a first-come first-served basis, so everyone can experience the magic of live theater.
Pond-O-Rama
June 21 and 22
In its 25th year, the St. Louis Water Garden Society’s annual tour features amazing ponds and water gardens in the St. Louis metro area owned and maintained by its members. As a society, it has also maintained the lily ponds at the Jewel Box in Forest Park for more than 35 years. Its members work from May through October to plant and maintain the lily ponds, and Pond-O-Rama supports that effort.
Outlaw Music Festival
June 28
2025 marks 10 years of unforgettable performances at the Outlaw Music Festival. Since its inception in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the music festival has become a hallmark of authentic Americana, evolving into one of North America’s largest annual touring franchises. Led by cultural and musical icon Willie Nelson, the tour unites music legends with today’s superstars in a celebration of the outlaw spirit and genre-defying music. When the Outlaw Music Festival comes to Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, it will feature Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and Nathaniel Rateliff, among other artists.
Grand Pride Parade
June 29
The Grand Pride Parade, which travels down Market Street through downtown St. Louis, is the culmination of the spirited PrideFest celebrations that happen at the end of every June to coincide with the Stonewall Riots, which served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the U.S. “PrideFest is always a good time,” Jordan Braxton, an educator and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, says. “Last year, the festival drew approximately 325,000 people to downtown St. Louis, and this year, we’re expecting a similarly sized crowd – plus, the same great energy!”
July
Celebrate Saint Louis
July 3 and 4
Concerts, parades and fireworks galore – Celebrate St. Louis is the ultimate way to spend America’s birthday. Engaging, serving and celebrating the region through diverse, impactful and entertaining experiences, the Fourth of July event will take place in downtown St. Louis.
Let Them Eat Art
July 11
A celebration of the arts and a whimsical tribute to Bastille Day, Let Them Eat Art takes place in Maplewood every summer. As you stroll through the streets and shops of the historic downtown, enjoy the sights and sounds of the annual festival. Let Them Eat Art features live art demonstrations, performances by regional musicians and children’s activities – plus, food and drinks from the neighborhood’s award-winning purveyors.
August
Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
August 7 to 17
“I don’t want realism; I want magic!” Tennessee Williams wrote in A Streetcar Named Desire. And magic is what you’ll find at the Tennessee Williams Festival. To enrich the cultural life of St. Louis, the annual theater festival features artistic and educational events that celebrate the timeless work and strong influence of the American playwright and screenwriter, who lived in St. Louis for 20 years. For the 10th annual festival from Aug. 7 to 17, the main stage production will be A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Austin Pendleton and performed at The Grandel. Fans can also join walking tours of the Central West End, scholarly panel discussions, Stella shouting contests, epic pool parties and more.
Blues at the Arch
August 8 to 10
Blues at the Arch will keep you in the groove until the end of summer. Hosted by the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, in partnership with the National Blues Museum and the National Park Service, Blues at the Arch pays tribute to St. Louis’ storied blues history and showcases the talents of local and national artists. Held at Gateway Arch National Park, the free music festival is the only one of its kind to take place on national park grounds.
STLFringe Fest
August 11 to 17
Champion uncensored work. Connect artists with audiences. Engage and educate local, regional and global cultural communities. These are the pillars of STLFringe. At the organization’s annual performing arts festival in the Grand Center Arts District, you can experience world-class, multidisciplinary pieces by diverse, independent creators.
Gateway Dragon Boat Festival
August 16
The Gateway Dragon Boat Festival is unlike any other event in St. Louis. Hop aboard a traditional Chinese boat as part of a team of 20 paddlers – plus, a drummer – or join thousands of spectators to watch as the race unfolds. In between rounds, enjoy cultural performances, delicious food, hands-on games and arts and crafts.
Gateway Cup
August 29 to September 1
Big Shark Bicycle Co. presents Missouri’s top cycling event over Labor Day weekend. The Bommarito Audi West County Gateway Cup features four days of racing by some of the best professional and amateur cyclists, who will put on a show as they zip around Lafayette Square, Francis Park, The Hill and Florissant. The full tilt races showcase “criterium format” racing on one-mile laps. This Americanized style of racing appeals to both athletes and spectators as the peloton speeds by the crowd every few minutes, holding lines only inches apart from one another. Watch the race develop lap after lap and hear commentators announce race strategy as the excitement builds.
Japanese Festival
August 30 to September 1
Spotlighting and celebrating the history, culture and people of Japan, the Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the U.S. Every year, thousands of visitors flock to the garden to absorb the traditional Japanese art, food and entertainment on display. Expect taiko drumming, bon odori, martial arts, candlelight walks and more. If you have time, consider taking one of the special tours offered in conjunction with the event.
September
Saint Louis Art Fair
September 5 to 7
An explosion of color in the streets of Clayton, the Saint Louis Art Fair attracts a variety of high-quality artists and enthusiastic art lovers – plus, some of St. Louis’ best restaurants that keep everyone energized. Whether you’re looking for a piece of fine art to fill your home or a fun-filled day in the sun, you should stop by this three-day event.
Music at the Intersection
September 12 to 14
Music and heritage meet at this festival in the Grand Center Arts District. Every rendition of Music at the Intersection, a civic-led effort presented by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, encompasses multiple stages set up in streets and green spaces throughout the neighborhood. St. Louis-based musicians as well as national acts spanning musical genres, including blues, jazz, soul, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll and hip-hop, come together in this celebration of St. Louis’ musical, cultural and artistic legacy.
The Great Forest Park Balloon Glow and Race
September 19 and 20
One of St. Louis’ most idyllic events, The Great Forest Park Balloon Glow and Race is not to be missed. Event organizers say that it’s the oldest and best-attended hot air balloon race in the world – you might want to scope out the perfect viewing area for you and your family ahead of time. This September, the event will also feature food trucks, music, wagon rides, a fireworks show and more free family fun!
Evolution Festival
September 27 and 28
In its third year, Evolution Festival will once again shake things up in St. Louis. Held in Forest Park, the genre-bending music festival features live music infused with a bold beverage experience – plus, food that spotlights traditional recipes as well as cutting-edge trends from some of the most recognizable pitmasters in the Show-Me State.
