I hope that you are doing well. You have no idea how excited I am to welcome the arrival of April. I almost shed a tear when I woke up to snow on the ground last week. However, it reminded me of a quote from Anne Bradstreet, "If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." Like you, I am looking forward to a pleasant and prosperous April. I've a got a few suggestions for you to make it another great month in St. Louis. Hopefully, you will join me at some of these great events!
April 1st-5th
If you are looking for some great live music tonight, aka Thursday, you might want to join me at the Old Rock House to enjoy the rhythmic soul music of the talented five piece all-analog ensemble, Nth Power/Corey Henry & Funk Apostles. If you like NBC's hit show, The Sing-Off, you would love their live show at Peabody Opera House on Thursday evening.
If you're ready for some laughs on Friday, grab some tickets to the STL Comedy Festival at Chaifetz Arena. You might also enjoy The Slaughter Project: RELEASE! at the Edison Theatre at Washington University on Friday. The project serves as a forum that brings together an emsemble of emerging choreographers and dancers.
If your family is anxiously awaiting all the fun Easter activities, take them on a trip to the Easter Egg Hunt Celebration at Six Flags on Saturday. You and the kids will have the opportunity to hunt around the park for eggs filled with tasty Easter treats. I've been trying to talk my wife into joining me at the Wakarusa Music Festival in June to see Ben Harper, The Roots, Thievery Corporation and more, but she is having a hard time wrapping her head around camping in the mountains of Arkansas, where the festival will be hosted. However, I may be able to charm her into checking out the Waka DJ Classic 2015 on Saturday night at the Old Rock House, where DJ's will compete for a spot at the June festival. Saturday is also the opening day for Currents 110: Mariam Ghani Exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum. Brooklyn-based artist Mariam Ghani creates video and photographic installations that investigate built and natural landscapes, such as Kabul, Afghanistan and Kassel, Germany. If you're in the Delmar Loop area on Saturday Night and in the mood for some music, Rocco DeLuca will performing at Blueberry Hill and OK GO will be performing at The Pageant.
On Sunday, you can head over to the zoo for Enrichment Eggstravaganza. The zookeepers will have egg hunting activities for the animals and lots of fun and entertainment for everyone else. If you love cars, you won't want to miss the 54th Annual Easter Concours d'Elegance Car Show at the Muny parking lot in Forest Park. There will be an attractive display of street rods, Corvettes, classic cars, street machines, and more! Also, Sunday is the last day to see Kinky Boots at the Fox Theatre. If you haven't seen it, make sure you grab some tickets to this exhilarating Broadway musical. On Sunday afternoon, you can enjoy a romantic excursion at the Gateway Arch Riverboat Sunday Brunch Cruise with magnificent views of the Arch and St. Louis skyline.
April 6th-12th
Break out your business cards and enjoy a cocktail at the Untapped Networking Happy Hour at Ballpark Village on Thursday. If you're in the mood to taste some delicious local craft beer, head across the street to Brew with a View at 360. Enjoy your beer alongside fare from some of the best local eateries. Also on Thursday, you can head over to West County Center for a cocktail party and some complimentary appetizers while joining St. Louis' savviest shoppers for the Spring Style Soiree to benefit Siteman Cancer Center. If you get there early, there will be a cocktail party and complimentary appetizers before the runway show at West County Center.
On Friday, go check out To Kill a Mockingbird at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre. The stirring drama is based on Harper Lee's classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. If you are in a classical mood, you may prefer to revel in Mozart's sublime melodies at the STL Symphony Concert: Mozart Sinfonia Concertante at Powell Hall, or head over to the Missouri History Museum for a lesson on The Rise and Fall of Prohibition at their extensive exhibit. If you are looking for a great art exhibit on Friday, you can check out the opening day for the Neither Here Nor There: Borders and Mobility in Contemporary Art at the Kemper Art Museum. These cutting edge artists engage themes of travel, identity, and shifting concepts of home in a world of global citizenship.
On Saturday, Schlafly will be paying tribute to their right to brew with a beer festival featuring favorite Schlafly beers at the Repeal of Prohibition Beer Festival. If you get hungry, head over to Tenacious Eats presents "The Sandlot." Watch the film as you enjoy five courses and five cocktails themed to baseball and the classic film. If you're up for a run, you may be interested in participating in the GO! St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend. If you're in the mood for a breathtaking dance performance, check out the diverse and innovative choreography of Giordano Dance Chicago at the Edison Theatre at Washington University.
On Sunday, check out the magnificent and unique rhythms of STOMP at The Fox Theatre. This eight-member group uses everything but conventional percussion instruments - matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps. You could join the St. Louis Modern Chinese School over at The Magic House for Chinese Games, where kids will enjoy games and sports popular for children in China today. If your kids love dinosaurs, take them out for a fun day at Discover the Dinosaurs at America's Center on Sunday. If you feel like enjoying the nice weather, you might check out the 37th Annual Spring Art Fair at Queeny Park. The vendor lineup is composed of 140 juried artists from around the St. Louis region and the United States!
April 13th-19th
On Monday, if you don't have a ticket for the Cardinal's opening day you can take advantage of Ballpark Village's birds eye view into Busch Stadium with their flat screens as they broadcast the game. Enjoy the creative, baseball-inspired cocktails and snacks with a live radio remote from KTRS!
If you miss watching I Love Lucy, make sure you get tickets for the stage production of I Love Lucy Live on Stage at the Peabody Opera House on Friday. If you're in the mood for some music, Yonder Mountain String Band will be performing at The Pageant, and Boogie Foot will be performing at Evangeline's Bistro and Music House. Friday is also the opening day of the Beyond Bosch: The Afterlife of a Renaissance Master in Print exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum in Forest Park.
On Saturday, head over to the zoo for the collection of wildlife art by the internationally acclaimed wildlife artist and conservationist, Robert Bateman called Inspired by Nature. You can also grab your running shoes and head downtown Saturday morning for the The St. Louis Color Run which is the "Happiest 5k on the Planet" to help promote health and happiness. Also on Saturday, sprouts of all ages are invited to dig into the fun in celebration of Earthy Day at the Magic House. The kids will love learning about Earth Day and enjoy all the fun hands-on activities! Afterwards, stop by the ThurtenE Carnival on the Washington University campus. The nation's oldest student-run carnival includes exciting rides, like the tilt-a-whirl and ferris wheel, but the student-run productions are the real treat! Also on Saturday you won't want to miss the mind-blowing on stage experiments of MYTHBUSTERS- Jamie and Adam Unleashed at their fascinating show and approach to science at The Peabody Opera House. Later in the evening, head over to The Ready Room for a Tribute to John Lee Hooker with a host of talented musicians, including The Bottoms Up Blues Gang, Richie Darling and more! Saturday is also the opening reception for the From Light to Dark exhibit at the Art St. Louis Gallery in downtown St. Louis. From Light to Dark is a juried exhibition featuring 58 artworks by 56 artists from across the region.
Sunday is the last day to see the Missouri Immigrant Experience Exhibit, so head over to the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park to see the faces and learn the stories of immigrants from a variety of backgrounds that all ended up in our great city of St. Louis. The Musical Merry-Go-Round welcomes Fire Dog 'For the Kids' CD Release Party is in Maplewood on Sunday. Finally on Sunday, join me to watch COCA's student dance companies, which include COCAdance, Ballet Eclectica and the Hip-Hop Crew conclude their seasons with an annual Triumphant Spring Repertory Concert on Sunday.
April 20th-26th
On Monday, check out Sufjan Stevens featuring Cold Specks at the Peabody Opera House. On Tuesday, head over to The Sheldon to see the Swing Set. From swing, jump and jive to Latin, polka and waltzes, Swing Set performs some of the best songs from the 1930s and '40s jazz era. Also on Tuesday, the talented and humorous Kevin Hart will be performing his stand-up routine at the Scottrade Center.
On Wednesday, you may want to take the kids to see Once on this Island at the Edison Theatre. It's a warm and funny tale for children of all ages, told with breezy Caribbean rhythms. Join me to check out the Robert Glasper Experiment with Special Guest Keyon Harrold on Wednesday, they will be performing at Jazz at the Bistro.
On Thursday, be sure to go see The Second City at the Touhill Performing Art Center . This production by America's famed comedy troupe will feature some of the greatest sketches, songs and improvisations from The Second City's 52-year history.
On Friday, Sleater-Kinney will be performing at The Pageant, and platinum-selling singer Suzy Bogguss will be performing music from her new release, Lucky, at The Sheldon Concert Hall. You might also enjoy hip hop dance performance by Compagnie Kafig presented by Dance St. Louis at the Touhill Performing Art Center. You could also check out the finals of the Teen Talent Competition at the Fox Theatre.
On Saturday, take a scenic drive over to Cedar Lake Cellars and sip on some of their amazing wine while you enjoy a performance by the rock duet, Serapis. You may also enjoy an afternoon at The Schlafly Tap Room for some delicious food and excellent beer while you listen to some catchy tunes by The Ol' One, Two. Later, Variety's Dinner with the Stars featuring Toni Braxton promises to be a great event on Saturday night downtown at The Peabody Opera House.
On Sunday, join me and my babies at one of the best festivals of the year! Yes, The 26th Annual St. Louis Earth Day Festival is upon us and you'll have the opportunity to learn about sustainable products and services offered by local businesses, catch local musical acts and performance art, and enjoy diverse cuisine at the Muny Grounds in Forest Park. While you are in the park, you might want to enjoy some more earth-related activities and games at the zoo for Earth Day: Party for the Planet. On Sunday night, you can check out Genevieve and her talented vocal styling as she will be in St. Louis performing at Old Rock House!
April 27th-30th
On Tuesday, learn how to pair my two of my favorite things- wine and chocolate at Scape in the Central West End. as the owner of Bittersweet Artisan Truffles and the wine director of Scape will be teaching Wine + Chocolate: A Happy Marriage.
On Wednesday, the Benny Green Trio will be performing at Jazz at the Bistro, and Home Free, the country a capella band and Season 4 Champions of NBC's The Sing Off, will be performing at The Sheldon. If you're near the Delmar Loop, check out the St. Louis Walk of Fame as Christine Brewer gets inducted. She began her career as a member of the St. Louis Symphony and went on to perform in prominent symphonies and operas world-wide.
On Thursday, see for yourself why St. Louis is such a great place to visit during the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission's annual Be A Tourist In Your Own Town event. The region's most popular attractions will exhibit with free refreshments, music, prizes and fun for everyone. Visit the Fox Theatre for The Anomaly Tour Featuring Lecrae. Also on Thursday, if you love to read and love a good deal, you will love the Greater St. Louis Book Fair at West County Mall. It's one of the nation's oldest, largest and most popular charity book sales!
Yes, it will certainly be another great month in St. Louis! Don't forget to plan for the Cinco de Mayo Festival on Cherokee Street on Saturday May 2nd.
Please let me know if there is anything that I can do for you. All the best. -Nate
