Athletic Supporters

While certainly entertaining, watching the Olympics on TV is largely a passive activity. There's no way to glad-hand the athletes, get your paws on some memorabilia or anything. To have a little more interaction with this summer's Olympic experience, head out to Fine Art Limited (18350 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield; www.fineartlimited.com or 636-537-1500), the official fine-art licensee of the U.S. Olympic Committee. From Friday through Sunday (August 15 through 17), this art publisher hosts "Celebrations of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games," and during the weekend-long extravaganza, previous Olympians, including decathlon gold-medalist Bill Toomey (pictured), shake hands and sign autographs, as do Olympic artists, such as St. Louisan Euripides "Rip" Kastaris, Jesse Barnes and Susan Sommer-Luarca (these last two are from Springfield, Missouri). The festivities on Friday run from 6 to 9 p.m. and offer wine and cheese in addition to the meeting-and-greeting. Then on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m., Olympiad gymnasts perform, food vendors keep you fed, the Olympics are shown and more! Admission to the festival is free, and a portion of the proceeds from artwork sales benefits the 2008 Olympic team.
Aug. 15-17, 2008