Courtesy of Big Bounce America / Sarasota Experience
Get ready to bounce.
Courtesy of the shortened week, it’s time to plan your weekend. With that small victory in mind, the holidays didn’t slow St. Louis when it comes to planning great events for just about anyone you can imagine. Check out the options for the weekend, then plan the rest of the week here:
Friday 07/08
Bounce, bounce, baby
If you’re missing the simpler days of childhood and itching for some nostalgia relief, the world’s largest bounce house is coming to the area for kids big and small. There will be many bounce houses at the event. Options include a competitive sports field, a giant obstacle course and a space-themed inflatable called airSpace that has slides, ball pits and a 25-foot inflatable alien.
One ticket gets you a three-hour bounce session, and within the three-hour time frame, you’ll have timed entry to the world’s largest bounce house. The other bounce houses have unlimited access.
Hop on over to Brookdale Farms (8004 Twin Rivers, Eureka, 636-938-1005, thebigbounceamerica.com/family/tickets/st-louis) Friday July 8 to Sunday July 10. Different age groups have separate sessions. Children’s sessions (for children under three) cost $19, while youth sessions (ages seven and under) cost $32. There is also a session for older children (under 15) for $32, and an adult-only session (16 and older) is $39. Parents who want to jump with their children must buy a ticket.
Summer movies
A summer tradition with more than 10 years in the making, the Art Hill movie series is back. This year’s installment has a sports theme to celebrate the upcoming Catching the Moment art exhibition. Assembled by Cardinals Hall of Famer Ted L. Simmons and his wife, art publisher and printer Maryanne Ellison Simmons. The series returns four Fridays in a row. The Saint Louis Art Museum (1 Fine Arts Drive) hosts the event on Art Hill beginning Friday, July 8 with A League of Their Own. The event starts at 6pm with live music by Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes. The film starts at 21:00. Attendance at the event is free.
Marie Antoinette
The artistic suburb of St. Louis will host a festival honoring the community’s creatives. Live art demonstrations, children’s activities and performances by regional musicians are promised for Let Them Eat Art in Maplewood. The event aims to celebrate the arts and serve as a tribute to Bastille Day, the anniversary of when the French stormed the Bastille, kicking off the French Revolution. Food and drink will be available for purchase, as well as local shops open for browsing and shopping. Stores are said to be offering special promotions just for events. Let Them Eat Art is located in downtown Maplewood (3520 Greenwood Boulevard, cms7.revize.com/revize/cityofmaplewoodmo) on Friday, July 8, from 6 to 10 p.m. Free attendance.
Saturday 07/09
Photo by Andrea Petty, courtesy of WerQFest
WerQFest celebrates the black queer community.
work on it
Celebrate the black, queer, trans and non-binary community with a festival this weekend. WerQfest will be hosted by drag artist (and recent RFT ChangeMaker Award winner) Maxi Glamor and will feature performances from Frankie DoWop, Noah Fence, DJ Nico Marie, The Voice season 16 contestant Julian King and more. Additional acts are scheduled for a satellite stage: Jay-Marie is Holy, AM Strings and DDare Bionic perform live. In addition to being a safe space, the festival aims to amplify LGBTQ artists, organizations and voices within the black queer community. A portion of the proceeds from WerQFest will go to non-profit organizations THISTL and The Trevor Project. WerQFest is coming to The Lot at the Big Top (3401 Washington Avenue, werqfest.com) on Saturday 9 July, at 5.30 pm (doors open at 5 pm). Event is 18+. Tickets start at $25.
It’s a Vibe
Dutchtown celebrates the season and goes whole hog: live music, community resources, kids’ activities, shopping and food and drink are all included in Dutchtown Summer Vibes.
The street festival will even have a misting tent, water and treats for the kids to keep you cool while you enjoy the festivities. The Urban Eats Neighborhood Food Hall will have more treats in store: Crepes and Treats, Tacos la Jefa and All Rolled Up will be there, plus more food elsewhere, including beer from Earthbound Beer. In addition, live music from local artists such as Eddie C, Leethal the Poet and other acts will take the stage. Check out the vibes on Saturday, July 9, from noon to 5 p.m. The event spans downtown Dutchtown (Meramec Street, Michigan Avenue and Louisiana Avenue; dutchtownstl.org/2022/06/dutchtown-summer-vibes-2022) and attendance is free.
Green Life
The Missouri Botanical Garden’s famous Green Living Festival returns this year and is organized as a series of pop-up events at your favorite St. Louis. Read more here:
— Jaime Lees
Sunday 07/10
Blast from the past
Nostalgia wins this weekend at one of our beloved institutions: the Laser Light Shows are back. Formerly known as Laserium in the good old days, the popular 40-60 minute event features retro music jams accompanied by laser illustrations and 3D effects. This session goes beyond classic rock, though: Lizzo mixes in hits like “Truth Hurts” and “Good As Hell,” as well as rock band Fleetwood Mac. Visit the James S. McDonnell Planetarium at the Saint Louis Science Center (5050 Oakland Avenue, 314-289-4400; slsc.org/event-overviews/laser-light-shows) for a show on Sunday, July 10. Additional times are also available. The Sunday show features Lizzo or Michael Jackson, but different days have different offerings. Tickets are $10.95 for non-members, while members pay $9.95.
