Happy Birthday, America

If you grew up in St. Louis, you know what the Fourth of July means: The V.P. Fair. Oh, officially, it's called Fair St. Louis, but come on. We still call Highway 40 Highway 40. Old habits don't die in this town, and that's a good thing. Traditions like Fair St. Louis are what keep this town together. You know the drill. The V.P. Parade — see? — steps off at 10 p.m. at the intersection of Fourth Street and Washington Avenue. The K-Town Kids Zone is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. along Lenore K. Sullivan Boulevard. This is where you'll enjoy performances by the Circus Harmony kids, the Kincaid Karacter Puppets, martial-arts demonstrations, dancers and the Show Me Sound Drumline. Hungry? Gorge yourself on a variety of foods available from dozens of vendors, or go whole hog and make reservations at the Sauce Café, where you'll enjoy the barbecue of Highway 61 Roadhouse & Kitchen in a welcoming sit-down, tablecloth experience (visit www.celebratestlouis.org for the menu and prices, and to book your reservation). And then at 9:15 p.m., ka-blammy, fireworks. It's familiar, it's comforting, it's St. Louis. Give in to it.
Sat., July 4, 2009