Looking For Something To Do Over Memorial Day Weekend?

ST. LOUIS, MO — Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May to honor men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Military. 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, holding family gatherings or 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.

The 26th annual African Arts Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sunday and Monday at the World's Fair Pavilion in Forest Park. In partnership with the St. Louis Art Museum, Washington University and others, the festival features art, clothing, jewelry, and performances from African and African-American artists.

St. Louis Ribfest will also be held this weekend. It offers some of the best barbecue on the planet plus live music. Admission is free.

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

There's also the St. Louis Science Center's Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission, a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Services (SITES) and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The exhibition features the command module Columbia that orbited the Moon, along with 20 other artifacts from the historic mission that landed humans on the moon. Destination Moon runs through September 3, 2018.

Grant's Farm's extended hours start this weekend, with food trucks, live music, carousel rides and plenty of fun for the whole family. So grab a beer (or a snow cone) and see the Budweiser Clydesdales, elephants, kangaroos, camels and goats while you're at it.

The Saint Louis Zoo will also have extended hours this weekend, kicking off a Jungle Boogie concert series Friday night that will run until the end of August. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy craft beer, wine and more from zoo's outdoor bar. This Friday will feature the Funky Butt Brass Band, a New Orleans jazz outfit that also does Motown, Southern Rock, Memphis soul, Chicago Blues and St. Louis R&B. They've been featured in the Riverfront Times.

The Mississippi Nights Music Festival at Laclede's Landing is a hit every Memorial Day weekend. A great place to hear local, up-and-coming bands, food and drinks are available from all Laclede's Landing restaurants as well as dozens of vendors. Bring your lawn chairs.

Or, if you're looking to get out of the city, you could head to Ha Ha Tonka State Park, which Conde Nast just voted the most beautiful place in Missouri. Only a few hours from St. Louis, and most other parts of the state, it's the perfect Memorial Day weekend getaway. Encompassing more than 3,700 acres on the Lake of the Ozarks, the park features a ruined mansion built to resemble a 16th century European castle. There are also miles of hiking trails and caves to explore, as well as boating, fishing and swimming. The park is open from 7 a.m. to sunset during the summer and admission is free.

How do you celebrate Memorial Day? Let us know in the comments.

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