All winter we bundle up and bitch about the temperature. Oh, how we
long to free our feet from their wool-and-leather cocoons! Oh, how we
wish for the warmth of a summer sunbeam on our fair skin! And when the
sizzling season finally comes around, we huddle in the air
conditioning, feeling lazy, bored and wasteful of some perfectly good
summer days.
But it's not exactly laziness that prevents us from getting out
there, is it? No, it's more a lack of imagination and a bit of a
been-there-done-that attitude. So consider what follows a checklist
that must be completed before the hot sun sets on your summer. Whenever
you're feeling uninspired and unplugged, brave the temperatures and
tackle one of these can't-miss items on your summer to-do list.
You Need a Hero!
No one can guarantee a super summer — well, no one except
Superman. "Super" is
in his name for crying out loud! To honor
the powerful cape-wearer, head to his hometown of Metropolis, Illinois,
for the 31st annual
Superman Celebration. From Thursday to
Sunday (June 11 to 14), hero-worshipers gather to revel in the Super
One's power of flight and his verve for helping society, while they
keep a safe distance from the town's huge hunk of Kryptonite. Justin
Hartley and Phil Morris, actors from the TV series
Smallville,
are scheduled to be there, as are Beverly Washburn (she appeared in
1951's
Superman and the Mole-Men, among many other TV shows and
films) and Noel Neill (a.k.a. Lois Lane). Autograph sessions with these
super folks require tickets for admission; visit
www.supermancelebration.net to learn more and to get directions to this
southern Illinois town (it's about two-and-a-half hours away).
Circus Circus
When
Circus Flora's candy-red big top is erected in Grand
Center (at North Grand Boulevard and Samuel Shepard Drive), kids and
adults alike are in for a sweet treat. For the affordable price of
admission (tickets cost just $9 to $36), this excellent circus will
have your hands sweating — despite the air conditioning —
during the feats of daring balance and swinging trapeze, your toes
tapping along with the live music and your tummy in stitches from
chuckling at the clowns. Find out more about the show and the talented
performers of all ages at
www.circusflora.org; tickets can be
purchased through MetroTix (314-534-1111 or
www.metrotix.com). Performances begin on
Thursday, June 4, and happen at 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, at 2
and 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday (no 2 p.m. show on June 5), and at 1 and
5 p.m. Sunday (June 4 through 21).
All-Stars All Over
St. Louisans and all manner of visitors will not only have stars in
their eyes at Busch Stadium (Broadway and Poplar Street) on Tuesday,
July 14 — that's the date of the
Major League Baseball
All-Star Game — but they also will be seeing stars at the
Dwight Davis Tennis Center (5620 Grand Drive), albeit ones who swing
rackets, not bats. This summer, the
St. Louis Aces, our very own
World TeamTennis team, brings Anna Kournikova (Saturday, July 11), the
Bryan brothers (Sunday, July 19) and Kim Clijsters (Tuesday, July 21)
to the team's home court in Forest Park. The Aces' short season begins
on Thursday, July 2, and concludes with Clijsters' appearance. Check
out the full schedule and find information about the theme nights at
www.stlouisaces.com; all matches begin at 7:15 p.m., and single-match
tickets cost $15 to $40.
And for details about the former set of all-stars and how you can
have a chance to get tickets, visit www.allstargame.com. Plus, there's
the Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest Friday through
Tuesday (July 10 through 14) at America's Center (701 Convention
Plaza); tickets for this interactive baseball extravaganza cost $15 to
$30.
You Gotta Eat
What's summer without barbecue, farmers' markets and horseradish?
That's what we always say, anyway. To get your fill of summery eats,
start by making time for regular visits to your nearby farmers' market.
The
Ellisville Farmers' Market debuts on Thursday, May 28, in
the parking lot of the recently opened Straub's grocery store (Clarkson
and Clayton roads). This smorgasbord of heirloom fruits and vegetables,
fresh lamb, artisan cheeses, kids' activities and more is open every
Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. through September 24. Call 314-725-2121 or
visit
www.ellisvillefarmersmarket.com
to learn more.
Of course, as the temperatures go up in St. Louis — and as the
tasty veggies get more plentiful — the grills around town only
get hotter. But you don't have to do all of the 'cuing! Keep your eye
on the St. Louis Barbecue Society's website (www.stlouisbbqsociety.com) to
stay informed about all of the hot grillin' action all summer long.
Then, for those who'd like to feel the heat in an entirely different
way, there's the 2009 International Horseradish Festival on
Saturday, June 6, and Sunday, June 7. This spicy good time is held in
Woodland Park (Pine Lake and Olivers roads, Collinsville, Illinois),
and it celebrates all things horsey, from root-tossing to a
horseradish-cooking contest, and from the bloody-mary competition to
the annual Horseradish Root Derby. All of the details can be learned by
calling 618-344-2884 or visiting www.horseradishfestival.com.
Listen Up, Look Here
As you are probably acutely aware, there's music in the air all
summer long around these parts. You've got the affordable concerts
highlighted by Brooke Foster on page 22, plus the
gratis
downtown festivities associated with
Fair Saint Louis/Live on the
Levee (information at
www.celebratestlouis.org) and the cross-state
party at the
Missouri State Fair in August in Sedalia (details,
including admission rates, at
www.mostatefair.com).
Also, Frontyard Features (314-664-4330 or www.fyfstl.com) brings films like The
Dark Knight, The Princess Bride and Caddyshack to
neighborhoods near you all summer long (through September). These
screenings, which begin at dusk, are all free — the only thing
you need to bring is a lawn chair.
Need for Speed
That same seat just might come in handy when you cheer along the
racers taking part in the
Gateway Cup (Friday through Monday,
September 4 through 7;
www.gatewaycup.com) and the
Tour of
Missouri (starting in St. Louis on Monday, September 7;
www.tourofmissouri.com). The former bike race takes place in four St.
Louis nabes — Lafayette Square, St. Louis Hills, the Hill and
downtown. The latter is a seven-stage trek all across the state. Both
biking events promise to get hearts racing and fans cheering —
not only rooting for the bikers but also applauding a summer well done.
Click on any of the links below to see more of our recommendations for Summertime St. Louis:
Summertime St. Louis: Road Food
Summertime St. Louis: Cool Competition
Summertime St. Louis: Free Parking
Summertime St. Louis: Summer of Salvation
