When organizers scaled back
Fair St. Louis a few years ago, they gave the area something new in return. Live on the Levee offers three weekends of free music, unique outdoor dining, fireworks and kids activities, all along the St. Louis riverfront and directly below the Gateway Arch. In 2009, the festivities begin on July 17, and run every Friday and Saturday, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., until August 1.
Live Concerts:
Every year, Live on the Levee brings a wide variety of musicians to St. Louis. Whether you're into rock, country or rythmn & blues, there's a concert for you. Performers this year include
Sonic Youth,
Gretchen Wilson,
Guster and more. The concerts begin at 8 p.m., but the crowds will begin arriving several hours earlier. The best place to see the concerts is on the staircase between the Arch and the riverfront. Visitors will not be permitted on the Archgrounds during the concerts.
Here is the Live on the Levee 2009 Schedule: July 17 -
Sonic Youth, July 18 -
Little Feat, July 24 -
Angie Stone, July 25 -
Gretchen Wilson, July 31 -
Guster, August 1 -
Lupe FiascoDine at the Sauce Cafe:
The Sauce Cafe is one of the newest additions to Live on the Levee. On Saturday nights during the festival, the Sauce Cafe opens a temporary outdoor restaurant along Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard. Each week, a different local restaurant takes a turn serving up gourmet, three-course meals, all in the shadow of the Gateway Arch. There are just two seatings a night, one at 6 p.m., and one at 8 p.m., so it's essential to make reservations early, as the spots for each seating fill up quickly. The Sauce Cafe is located just south of the Gateway Arch on Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard. Cost is $30 a person.
Kids Activities:
Even if your kids aren't interested in a concert or a three-course meal at the Sauce Cafe, there's still plenty for them to do at the K-Town Kids Zone. Most of the crafts and hands-on activities are geared toward pre-school and elementary age children. There are also kid-friendly musicians and performers to entertain those of all ages. The K-Town Kids Zone is at the north end of Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard, near Washington Avenue.
Nightly Fireworks Display:
Live on the Levee ends each night with a big fireworks display. The display starts at approximately 9:15 p.m., but the Archgrounds fill up much earlier. Come early to grab your plot of grass under the Arch, or sit back and enjoy the show from a distance throughout downtown, or even from across the river at the Casino Queen. The show typically lasts 20 to 30 minutes, and is a great way to end a warm, summer night in St. Louis.
