Don't Miss These Spring Events In Saint Louis

Spring took its sweet time arriving, but now that it’s here, it’s probably safe to pack away the snow boots, stocking caps and gloves and get out of the house to enjoy some of the events packing the St. Louis calendar. Tour the Missouri Botanical Garden, take a walk in Forest Park, or check out some of the events below.

Here are some can't-miss happenings for May and June:

Meet Me Outdoors in St. Louis Photography Exhibit, April to August at the Missouri Botanical Garden: Explore the beautiful botanical garden through photos and enter to win a free membership by submitting your own. Use the hashtag #MeetMeOutdoorsSTL on Instagram to enter.

Trevor Noah at the Peabody Opera House, May 11: The South African comedian and host of the Daily Show will be in St. Louis this May. Come for the incisive jokes, stay for the heartbreaking stories of growing up under apartheid.

Laumeier Art Fair, May 11-13: A Mother's Day weekend tradition with hundreds of artists and vendors at Laumeier Sculpture Garden.

Mother’s Day, May 13: Mother’s Day traces its roots to ancient Greece, though the first iteration of the modern holiday was in 1908, when Anna Jarvis honored her late mother three years after her death at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia. It became an official U.S. holiday in 1914, and Jarvis spent some of the last years of her life railing against commercialization of the holiday and wanted to see it removed from the calendar.

Fest-of-Ale at the Missouri Botanical Garden, May 18: The event celebrate's the region's many microbreweries. Ticket price includes a commemorative tasting glass and beer sampling. Plenty of good food and live music is also available.

Lupulin Festival, May 19: 4 Hand Brewing Co.'s annual celebration, featuring beer samples and a variety of carnival activities at Union Station.

Armed Forces Day, May 19: President Harry S. Truman led the effort to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard commemorations with a single day. Always celebrated on the third Saturday in May, the first such event was observed in 1950. Fleet Feet Sport's annual Armed Forces Day 5K run takes place on Saturday, May 20.

Schlafly Art Outside Festival, May 25 to 27: Art without pretense, with plenty of good food at beer at the Schlafy Bottleworks in Maplewood.

The Discovery of King Tut, May 27: The Science Center's newest exhibit opens May 27, featuring expert-recreations of how the tomb of the Egyptian king looked when Howard Carter rediscovered it millenia after the death of Tutankhamun. Curse-free, guaranteed. Also, check out Destination Moon, which runs until September 3.

Memorial Day, May 28: Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May to honor men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Military Day. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day and originated in the years following the Civil War. It became an official federal holiday in 1971, and many Americans observe it by visiting cemeteries or memorials, at family gatherings and by participating in parades. It marks the unofficial beginning of summer. In St. Louis, plenty of events are scheduled for the long weekend, including a special service at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, African Arts Festival, St. Louis Ribfest and more.

Romeo & Juliet Free in Forest Park, June 1 to 24: Shakespeare's famous play of star-crossed lovers returns to Shakespeare Glen for the first time since 2001.

PrideFest, June 23 & 24: A festival and parade celebrating the LGBTQ community. Great food, drinks and entertainment.

Photo by J. Ryne Danielson/Patch