All Entries Tagged With: "festivals"
Despite the cold, Northern Lights draws a crowd
Hundreds of onlookers lined the sidewalks along Florissant Road last night for Ferguson's annual Lighted Holiday Parade.
Well, at least it didn’t rain. Much. But it was still a pretty cold evening for Ferguson’s Northern Lights festival. Crowds grew steadily all afternoon, until the fairgrounds were finally buzzing with activity right before parade time. In case you couldn’t make it, here’s what you missed…
Holiday fun lights up NoCo this weekend
Happy Thanksgiving, NOCO fans! Today is the day to be extra thankful for all the blessings in your life, including this wonderful community of ours!
North County offers up lots of beautiful eye candy throughout the seasons, but I have to say, it’s especially dazzling during the holidays. Driving up Florissant Road, with lights twinkling on nearly every building and pole, I’m reminded of all the reasons I love Ferguson. Our history, our architecture, our community spirit….it all comes into focus this time of year, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
That’s why I’m delighted to share news about this weekend’s local holiday festivities, where you can get out and mingle with your neighbors….
In Ferguson, Northern Lights returns on Sunday, November 27, with a full lineup of fun things to see and do. Dress warm and bring your camera for this annual outdoor celebration, which features live music, free cookies and hot chocolate, a market full of great vendors, and Ferguson’s famed Holiday Light Parade.
Northern Lights takes place at 20 S. Florissant Road (the farmers market lot) and runs from 2-7pm.
Also happening Sunday, just up the street from Northern Lights, is a new event from the Northern Arts Council. Called “NAC at the Corner,” this gathering of local artists offers fine arts and crafts for purchase, hands-on activities for families, and still more live music and entertainment. It runs from 2-6pm at the Corner Coffee House, 100 N. Florissant Road, and like Northern Lights, admission is free.
Around the same time, the city of Florissant is hosting its own holiday event: the return of the Green Line Tour, a free bus ride showcasing 40 of Old Town’s finest historical buildings. Originally launched in 1965 by Florissant’s Business and Professional Women’s Club, the tour is being revived by Historic Florissant, Inc and the Landmark Historic District Commission, and it literally follows a painted green line on area streets.
If you’re interested in riding along, it’s probably a good idea to reserve your seat. Four 30-minute tours are available – at 1:15pm, 2pm, 2:45pm and 3:30pm – and they all depart from the historic Gittemeier House, 1067 Dunn Road. For more information about the free Green Line Tour, or to make a reservation, call Historic Florissant at (314) 921-7055.
Florissant celebrates 225th anniversary as a city
All are welcome at St. Ferdinand Shrine this Friday, where the city of Florissant is hosting a 225th anniversary celebration.
Sometimes it’s hard to believe, but the city of Florissant was actually founded in 1786, just ten years after the birth of the United States. Originally named “St. Ferdinand” in honor of Spain’s King Ferdinand III, the town was dubbed “Fleurissant” (or “blooming”) by its early French settlers and remained a largely French-speaking area throughout the 19th century.
Today, of course, Florissant is one of the largest municipalities in St. Louis and continues to be a strong anchor for the North County community. That’s why it’s such great news that the city is celebrating its 225th anniversary!
This Friday, November 18, the St. Ferdinand Shrine is hosting a public birthday party for Florissant, and all are invited. It also happens to be the feast day of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (the French nun who founded Florissant’s first school), so the event will have a decidedly Catholic feel, but people of all faiths are welcome to attend.
Here’s the schedule of activities:
4-10pm Fish fry with clam chowder, beer & soda, courtesy of the Duchesne Knights of Columbus
5-10pm French wine tastings from Hendel’s and the Shrine Foundation
5-10pm Birthday cake with coffee and cocoa in the school house
4-7pm and 8-10pm Live music from Dan the Piano Man, also violin and cello in the museum
6pm Walk of Fame plaque dedication for Father Pierre Jean DeSmet & St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
7pm Mass in honor of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
Parking will be available on the Knights of Columbus grounds at Washington & St. Charles. The St. Ferdinand Shrine is located at #1 rue St. Francois, 63031. Admission to the anniversary celebration is free.
Get your vintage fix in Ferguson…this Saturday only!
NOCO fans, you may recall that I wrote about the Better Block Project a few weeks ago. That’s the one-day event in which a handful of businesses will suddenly sprout up in downtown Ferguson, representing all kinds of fun possibilities for new economic activity.
As I said before, two lanes of Florissant Road will be closed down, allowing for sidewalk vendors, kids’ games and live music. What I didn’t mention is that I will be hosting a store myself!
For 25 years, my husband and I have been avid collectors of vintage and antique items, and to tell you the truth, we’re just plain full up. When we heard about Better Block, we knew right away that we wanted to participate. So lo and behold, we’ve spent the past week creating an antique store, loading up one of the old art studios at 27 S. Florissant with an eclectic mix of unique treasures.
Our store is called “Raw” because, frankly, we like to collect items that are a little rough around the edges. If you’re looking for fine antiques in perfect condition, you will be disappointed. But if you’re an artist looking for materials and inspiration, or a creative soul who needs a project, or just someone who appreciates character and a nice old patina, you will LOVE what we have to offer.
Within our store you’ll find furniture, original artwork, architectural salvage, vintage fabric, industrial light fixtures, glass terrariums, and a ton of wonderful paper goods that are just waiting to be framed, collaged or scrapbooked. Many of these items are projects I had hoped to complete myself one day, but if I haven’t used them yet, I never will. So it’s time to share the love and send all this creative potential out into the world.
Raw is essentially set up like a real store, but since it will only be open one day, my prices will be closer to what you might find at a nice estate sale. So bring your cash and get ready to buy! I definitely don’t want to haul this stuff back home.
When you’re done shopping, be sure to check out my Better Block neighbors: Creative Exchange Lab, Kickball’s Comics, Northern Arts Council, and the Klein Family Science Museum. Parking will be available across the street or behind the Savoy.
The Better Block Project runs from 10am to 10pm on Saturday, October 15, between Carson and Adams on S. Florissant Road. Raw is located inside 27 S. Florissant.
By the way, please no early birds…
