Tag Archives: Forest Park

Scene in St. Louis: Hot air balloons, family time and sports fans

21 Sep

Sometimes it’s nice to step back and take a look at our community. Here are nine photos shared on Instagram within the past 24 hours that epitomize St. Louis.

11 photos from Friday’s Balloon Glow

19 Sep

Thousands of people packed Forest Park Friday night for the 42nd annual Balloon Glow. Here are 11 photos shared on Twitter and Instagram from the event:

The Balloon Race starts at noon Saturday at Central Field in Forest Park.

St. Louis area has 25 state champion trees

15 Sep

The weather’s cooler, high school and college football teams have taken the field and the leaves soon will be changing colors. What better time to look for Missouri’s champion trees?

American elm tree

Missouri’s largest American elm tree can be found at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis. Measuring more than 100 feet tall with a spread of 122 feet, it’s one of the cemetery’s three state champion trees. (Courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation)

Champion trees are the biggest, oldest trees as calculated by American Forests and the Missouri Department of Conservation. In the St. Louis area that includes:

  • 103-foot tall, 149-inch circumference white basswood tree at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis;
  • 35-foot tall, 72-inch circumference red buckeye tree at Forest Park in St. Louis;
  • 76-foot tall, 142-inch circumference cucumbertree tree at Forest Park in St. Louis;
  • 102-foot tall, 191-inch circumference American elm tree at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis County;
  • 51-foot tall, 189-inch circumference red mulberry tree at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis County;
  • 109-foot tall, 174-inch circumference shingle oak tree at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis County;
  • 132-foot tall, 193-inch circumference pecan tree in the right-of-way along Butler Hill Road in St. Louis County;
  • 18-foot tall, 19-inch circumference possumhaw tree at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis;
  • 72-foot tall, 196-inch circumference black walnut tree at Matson Hill Park in St. Charles County;
  • 95-foot tall, 79-inch circumference black willow tree at the Missouri Department of Conservation in St. Louis County;

State champion trees on private property in the St. Louis area:

  • 130-foot tall, 164-inch circumference green ash tree in St. Louis County
  • 49-foot tall, 254-inch circumference American basswood tree in St. Charles County
  • 78-foot tall, 176-inch circumference Kentucky coffeetree in Warren County
  • 134-foot tall, 296-inch circumference eastern cottonwood tree in St. Louis County
  • 79-foot tall, 196-inch circumference rock elm tree in St. Louis County
  • 104-foot tall, 132-inch circumference slippery elm tree in Warren County
  • 22-foot tall, 17-inch circumference fringetree in St. Louis
  • 79-foot tall, 222-inch circumference hackberry tree in Lincoln County
  • 110-foot tall, 185-inch circumference hackberry tree in St. Charles County
  • 70-foot tall, 204-inch circumference chinkapin oak tree in St. Charles County
  • 35-foot tall, 29-inch circumference pawpaw tree in St. Louis
  • 23-foot tall, 28-inch circumference wild plum tree in St. Charles County
  • 62-foot tall, 78-inch circumference western soapberry tree in Jefferson County
  • 41-foot tall, 106-inch circumference eastern wahoo tree in St. Louis County
  • 130-foot tall, 186-inch circumference yellow-poplar tree in St. Louis County

The white basswood champion at the Missouri Botanical Garden also is a national champion. So is St. Louis County’s eastern wahoo champion.

The Department of Conservation has tips on how to measure trees, if you think you’ve come across a potential champion. See the complete list of the state’s champion trees.

Wanna watch a movie? Head to the park

24 May

This story originally appeared on RealTime/STL.

Sure, you could go to the theater to see a movie, but what could be better than watching “Meet Me in St. Louis” in Forest Park?

Movies start at dusk and are free unless otherwise noted.

Alligator Creek Aquatic Center, O’Fallon, Mo.

Yep, it’s a “dive-in” theater. Tickets are $3.50 for children and $4.50 for adults; add another dollar if you’re not an O’Fallon resident. Movies start at 8:30 p.m.; the pool is closed for cleaning from 8 to 8:30.
June 21: “Frozen”

Ballpark Village, St. Louis

Coolers and picnic baskets aren’t allowed, but blankets and lawn chairs are. Admission $1, which officials say will be donated to a local charity. Movies start at 7 p.m.
June 30: “Weird Science”
July 28: “Back to the Future”
Aug. 25: “Teen Wolf”
Sept. 29: “A League of Their Own”

Boulevard Park, Lake St. Louis

Take your blanket or lawn chair to the amphitheater.
June 13: “Monsters University”
July 18: “Despicable Me 2″
Aug. 8: “Free Birds”

Chesterfield Amphitheater, Chesterfield

Fixed seats are available, or you can spread out a blanket on the lawn. Organizers request picnickers do not take glass bottles; the concession stand also will be open.
May 30: “Planes”
June 13: “Frozen”
July 25: “Despicable Me 2″

City Centre Amphitheater, St. Peters

Take snacks and a cooler, or stop by the concession stand. The movie will start around 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 29: “The Lego Movie”

Emmenegger Nature Park, St. Louis County

What better place to watch a nature documentary?
Aug. 14: “The Private Life of Deer,” $3. Call 314-822-5855 to register.

Forest Park, St. Louis

Head to Art Hill with your blanket or lawn chair. Arrive early for live music and food truck fare, or take your own picnic dinner; movies start at 9 p.m.
July 11: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”
July 18: “Funny Face”
July 25: “Field of Dreams”
Aug. 1: “Meet Me in St. Louis”

Gateway Arch, St. Louis

That’s right, you can watch a Western under the Gateway to the West. Catch live music and food trucks starting at 7 p.m.; movies start at 9 p.m.
May 24: “Outlaw Josey Wales”
June 21: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”

Ferguson

May 30: “Jurassic Park” at Robert-Superior Park
June 6: “Despicable Me 2″ at Jeske Park; starts at 7:30 p.m.
June 13: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2″ at Nesbit-Newton Park
June 20: “The Nut Job” at Central School
June 27: “Frozen” at January-Wabash Park
July 12: “Monsters Inc.” at Guadalupe Church
July 18: “The Wizard of Oz” at Abston/Dade

Kirkwood Park, Kirkwood

Do a little star gazing with the St. Louis Astronomical Society. The program starts at 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 7: “The Pluto Files”

Lafayette Square, St. Louis

June 28: “Iron Man”
July 26: “Ghostbusters”
Aug. 23: “Monsters Inc.”

Maryland Plaza, St. Louis

As if watching a movie fountain-side wasn’t enough, there’s also free popcorn and beer (Stella Artois is a sponsor) and a “movie menu” from Bissinger’s.
May 28: “The Princess Bride”
June 25: “Bridget Jones Diary”
July 30: “Before Sunrise”
Aug. 27: “A Fish Called Wanda”

Millar Park, University City

June 14: “Despicable Me 2″
July 12: “Life of Pi”
Aug. 9: “42″

Old Orchard Gazebo, Webster Groves

Live music precedes each movie, and starts at 7 p.m.
June 13: “Cool Hand Luke”
June 20: “Batman” (1989)
June 27: “What About Bob?”
July 11: “Yellow Submarine”
July 18: “Sharknado”
July 25: “A Christmas Story”

Renaud Spirit Center, O’Fallon, Mo.

Tickets are free, but must be reserved before the show. Call 636-474-2732.
July 24: “The Nut Job”

Schroeder Park, Manchester

The Manchester park at 359 Old Meramec Station Road has two settings for movies this summer: the amphitheater and the pool. That’s right, the pool.
June 20: “Monsters University” at the amphitheater
July 11: “Despicable Me 2″ at the Manchester Aquatic Center (free for pool pass holders)

Scene in St. Louis: Dancing in the park, painting, frozen custard

21 May

This story originally appeared on RealTime/STL.

Sometimes it’s nice to step back and take a look at our community. Here are seven photos shared on Instagram within the past 24 hours that we feel epitomize St. Louis.

Ballroom dancing at the World’s Fair Pavilion

Blue nail polish for everyone

A Cardinals game selfie

Painting murals

It really IS good, guys … and dogs

A bachelorette party at Lucky’s Dueling Piano Bar

The Gateway Arch from Laclede’s Landing