Stems and Seeds

Inhaling Schwagstock 18

Comments (0) By Paul Friswold and Byron Kerman and Mike Seely Wednesday, Jun 4 2003

If you go to Schwagstock Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7, at the bucolic Ozark Outdoors campground in Leasburg, Missouri, remember: No nitrous oxide. Typically, open-air music festivals simply say "no drugs or alcohol" and cover all the narcotic bases in one fell swoop.

All you need to enjoy the Museum of Transportation is a little training.

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But jam-band fiestas such as the Schwag's eighteenth installment are cut from a different cloth. The organizers are pros. They know that you can probably sneak in some 'shrooms or weed if you're smart about it. But you can't exactly tape a nitrous tank to the waistband of your Fruit of the Looms. Hence the "no nitrous" warning on the Schwagstock Web site.

As for the music, the Dead and Allman Brothers cover bands lined up to play are as good as or better than the current incarnations of the originals. No Jerry? No Dicky and Duane? Give us a break. Give us some Schwag (one hour southwest of St. Louis on I-44, $30 includes camping, www.theschwag.com, 800-888-0023). -- Mike Seely

Take a Left at Ozzie's

SAT 6/7

Watch the tiny checkered flag drop on the Arthritis Foundation Mini Grand Prix at Westport Plaza (I-270 at Page Avenue, 314-576-2727) at 10 a.m. Little Indy-style go-karts compete for charity and pride, but please, no wagering. Give your money to the Arthritis Foundation instead, and everyone wins. Admission is free, and they'll have concessions and giveaways all day. -- Paul Friswold

I Scream

SUN 6/8

The Museum of Transportation has a few minitrains that kids can ride; now all they need is a guy in a Godzilla suit to wreak havoc. Stay civilized at the annual Ice Cream Social, featuring rides on ponies, an open-top double-decker bus, a streetcar and the aforementioned minitrains, plus ice cream for all (noon-4 p.m., 3015 Barrett Station Road, 314-965-7998, free-$4). -- Byron Kerman