Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer and the chance to remember those who have served our country. The St. Louis area has plenty of festivals and fun on Memorial Day weekend, but also parades and military services to honor our veterans. Here are some of the most popular Memorial Day weekend events in St. Louis.
Taste some award winning bar-b-que during Memorial Day weekend in downtown St. Louis. Rib America serves up brisket, ribs, pork, chicken and more. When you've had your fill of food, there's also live music from classic rock bands. The four day Rib America festival runs Friday through Monday of Memorial Day weekend at Soldier's Memorial at Market and Tucker Streets.
The Greek Festival in Town & Country is a Memorial Day tradition for many St. Louis area families. Thousands of visitors attend the four day festival which features Greek music, dancing, gifts and plenty of authentic Greek food. The festival runs Friday through Monday of Memorial Day weekend at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church at 1755 Des Peres Road in Town & Country. Admission and parking are free. For more information call 314-966-2255.
The Gypsy Caravan is a shoppers paradise. This one day only flea market attracts baragain hunters from across the Midwest. More than 300 vendors sell everything from antiques to t-shirts to birdhouses and baseball cards. The sale is held each Memorial Day rain or shine on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Money raised from the Gypsy Caravan goes to the St. Louis Symphony and its educational programs.
The Memorial Day Parade in Alton, Illinois, is truly a part of history. It is the oldest consecutive running Memorial Day parade in the nation, dating back to 1868. The parade honors American veterans and celebrates the history of the small Mississippi River town. It begins each Memorial Day at 10 a.m. at the intersection of College and Washington Avenues.
The Compton Heights Concert Band has been performing free concerts in St. Louis since 1976. The band's summer season kicks off every year with a Memorial Day Concert in Tower Grove Park in south St. Louis. Everyone is invited to bring a blanket or lawn chair and gather round the bandstand for an afternoon of patriotic music.
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is an impressive sight any day of the year, but even more so on Memorial Day. Each year, local boy scouts place small flags at each of the more than 170,000 headstones on the cemetery grounds. There is also a special service in the cemetery chapel honoring all those who have served.
