Celebrating the history, culture, and people of Japan, the Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the largest and oldest festivals of its kind in the United States. Your family can enjoy guided walking tours, bonsai, cooking, martial arts and origami demonstrations, sumo wrestling, and special activities for kids.
The festival will be held Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Monday, Sept. 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Last entry at 4:30 p.m.) Admission is $18 for adults and kids ages 13 and older; $9 for Garden members ages 3-adult, and free for children age 2 and under. Festival-level members and their children get in free.
For more than 40 years, the Missouri Botanical Garden has produced the annual Japanese Festival in conjunction with the Japanese Activities Committee, a coalition of several Japanese-American organizations that provide art, dance, food and entertainment for thousands of visitors each year.
For more information visit: missouribotanicalgarden.org
Kids can work on existing gym skills, learn new skills or just play around during Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym in Creve Coeur.
Stop in and have some fun in the indoor pool at the Lodge of Des Peres with your little one at this drop-in swim time for kids up to age 6. No pre-registration is needed; Water Waddlers is open to residents and non-residents of Des Peres.
The Saint Louis Science Center has expanded its Preschool Science Series to include new offerings for different age groups of young scientists. Storybook STEM is for ages 3 to 5.
At Free Family Saturdays at Craft Alliance, families create together in each of the Craft Alliance studios, exploring clay, fiber, metals and graphic arts. These free workshops are led by professional artists and are for families with kids ages 5 and up. They are open to the public and all family structures are welcome. Please dress for a fun and sometimes messy art experience!