The Best Arts and Crafts Festivals in the St. Louis, Missouri Area in 2011

Summer is nigh upon St. Louis and the time for Arts and Crafts shows is at hand. Many to choose from and all within a short drive from the downtown St. Louis area.

Kirkwood, Missouri

The City of Kirkwood hosts two annual events which are sure to entertain and delight. The Downtown Festival of Food and Flowers begins on May 23, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. in the Kirkwood business district. Wear your walking shoes as the event covers sixteen blocks of Downtown Kirkwood. Food is available in the Kirkwood Farmer's Market.

The Annual Kirkwood Greentree Festival will be held in Kirkwood Park, corner of Geyer Rd. and Adams Ave. on September 16-18. Plenty of crafts ( 200 + exhibits everything from rugs, weaving, jewelry, pottery and more), food and entertainment in this three day gala event. Free to the public and free shuttle service is provided from the nearby St. Louis Community College, Meramec Campus.

Shaw Neighborhood

The historic Shaw neighborhood is located near Tower Grove Park and the Missouri Botanical Gardens. There are a number of events in this area from Spring thru Fall.

The 2011 Performing Arts and Crafts Festival will be held May 20-22 at various locations throughout the neighborhood. Not only will various Arts and Crafts be exhibited, but theatre, dance, films, puppet shows and the like are on the agenda during the three day event. An admission fee of $5.00 is charged for the craft fair, but can also be used to enter other events.

The 19th Annual Historic Shaw Art Fair will be held on Saturday, October 1, 2011 from 9:00 A.M.-5"00 P.M. and Sunday, October 2, 2011 from 10:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. at Flora Pl. and Tower Grove Ave. Admission is $5.00 and children under 14 with a parent enter for free. Artists of all genre from across the country and Canada make it a point to show their fares at this event. Food , drink and entertainment for the whole family make it a must attend.

Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110 runs October 1-2, 2011 from 9:00 A.M. -5:00 P.M. (Garden members get a chance for a sneak preview earlier than the regular opening time.) Admission to the general public is $12 with discounts for seniors, children 12 an under and of course, members. Bring a cart or a wagon to haul off the goodies you will most certainly end up buying.. Family friendly entertainment and great food. Mark your calendar.

St. Charles, Missouri

Just across the county line from St. Louis, St. Charles hosts one of the biggest and best Arts and Crafts shows in the country - the Festival of the Little Hills. You can visit the booths, restaurants, bars and even a brewery along historic Main Street. Take a short walk over to Frontier Park and you will while away the hours at the art and craft booths situated along the Missouri River. Plenty of food and entertainment on this side of the road, too.

August 19 from 4-10 P.M., August 20 from 9:30 A.M - 10:00 P.M. and August 21 from 9:30 A.M. 5:00 P.M.. Free admission and shuttle service provided

Clayton, Missouri

The St. Louis Art Fair (SLAF) is one of the biggest in the country and takes almost the whole central business district of Clayton, Missouri to house it. The Fair kicks off on Friday, September 9, 5-10 P.M. and continues into Saturday, September 10, 10 A.M. - 10 P.M. and Sunday, September 11, 11 A.M.- 4 P.M. Admission is free. Fine arts and craft booths abound. Entertainment both day and night. Many fine restaurants in the area and booth after booth of food and drink stand ready to satisfy every taste. Plenty of parking and near public transportation. Family friendly with a area set up especially for the kids.

Maplewood, Missouri

There are many rumors as to why the Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Ave., Maplewood, MO holds its annual outdoor extravaganza on the same dates as the St. Louis Art Fair, but it is billed as the alternative art fair with local talent exhibitions. Art outside begins on Friday, September 9 from 11A.M. - 1A.M; Saturday, September, 10, 11A.M.-1A.M; Sunday, September 11, 11A.M.-4P.M. Admission is free . The event first started on the brewery parking lot, however over the years has grown and spilled over onto a section of Southwest Ave. Free entertainment and food for purchase. Of course the ever popular Schlafly beer is available. Nice neighborhood atmosphere if you don't want to fight the big crowds.

Sources:
www.schlafly.com
www.ci.kirkwood.mo.us
www.spacefest.org
www.shawartfair.org
www.mbot.org
www.culturalfestivals.com