As the insane temperatures dip away this week (at least for the moment), a flurry of fantastic events follow in their wake and, maybe someday, fall color as well. You can get outside this week with an Oktoberfest celebration or Story Collider or stay even cooler indoors with an Andrew Sean Greer book reading or yoga in the planetarium. No matter who you are, there's something just right for you in St. Louis this week.
If you're only interested in planning your weekend, check out our recommendations here:
Thursday 09/22
Ban This
The first few leaves have barely begun to fall, yet we've already set back our clocks ... all the way to the 1870s. At noon, the Kranzberg Arts Foundation's weekly High Noon at the High Low (3301 Washington Avenue, 314-533-0367) series will highlight the absurdity of the moment's current book-banning movement with a program that celebrates the freedom to read. The event, held in partnership with the Volunteer Lawyers and Accounts for the Arts, takes place during Banned Books Week and features storytime with celebrated local drag queen Maxi Glamour followed by a discussion of notable freedom-to-read cases and Missouri's current book-ban push with attorney Mark Sablemen. Admission is free; for more information, visit vlaa.org/celebrating-the-freedom-to-read.
Monday 09/26
Star Gazing
On a Monday, after a long day at work and the sun has set, the James S. McDonnell Planetarium (5050 Oakland Avenue, 314-289-4400) will open its doors so that attendees can tour the premises and admire the Milky Way in the largest artificial sky in the Western Hemisphere all while ... doing yoga? That's right: At 7 p.m. the Forest Park planetarium will host Yoga Under the Stars, an event that will allow visitors to enjoy yoga under the gaze of the stars. "The lights stay low," organizers say, "but the stars stay bright." The evening kicks off with a 15-minute tour of the stars. Then visitors can enjoy an hour of yoga suitable both for beginners and more advanced practitioners. Tickets cost $25 but space is limited. For more information visit: slsc.org/event-overviews/yoga-under-the-stars.
Wednesday 09/28
Science Stories
Story Collider stages live storytelling events across the country to demonstrate the role that science plays in our lives, sharing some of those stories on a weekly podcast. The shows feature storytellers who run the gamut from specialists to regular people. The next St. Louis-based Story Collider features tales about "finding yourself after your habitat evolves" from Christienne Hinz, a professor of Asian and world history; Taylor Stone, a PhD candidate in viral immunology; Keith Duncan, research scientist; and Elizabeth Haswell, biology professor. The event is at 7 p.m. at the Public Media Commons of St. Louis Public Radio (3653 Olive Street). Tickets are $10.
