Thursday 03/16
The Rest Is History
A sprawling oasis near River Des Peres? A brewery cave underneath Benton Park? These are just a couple lesser-known aspects of St. Louis city's history a new speaker series seeks to uncover. Founded by two local historians, Unseen STL History holds its monthly off-beat history talks each third Thursday at Spine Indie Bookstore & Cafe (1976 Arsenal Street, 314-925-8087). Unseen STL History was born after St. Louis native and fiction writer Jackie Dana started digging into the history of various local sites as she searched for settings for her novels. In January, Dana heard casual talk about English Cave (a brewery cave that still remains under Spine Indie Bookstore and Benton Park) and thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to be able to come to more of these talks?" Dana explains in a release. She partnered with historian Amanda Clark, who founded the acclaimed Renegade Tours for unscripted and off-beat tours of St. Louis history in 2012. (Renegade later moved to the Missouri History Museum; it's now called See STL Tours.) Each month, Unseen STL History's talks feature some of St. Louis' most passionate history buffs and storytellers, with St. Louis Patina blogger Chris Naffziger and Historic Tales of St. Louis writer Mark Zeman slated to share stories at this week's session. Sessions are free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Portrait of a Divorce
Mr. Rogers said it best: "There's no such thing as a grown-up person." Bill and Nancy are about to learn that the hard way in Moonstone Theatre Company's Grand Horizons. The couple have been married for 50 years, but now that they've become snow birds, Nancy wants a divorce. Bill is OK with it, but the couple's adult sons are having none of it. They descend on their parent's retirement community, Grand Horizons, and try to intervene, with comedic results. Called "Neil Simon-esque" by the New York Times, the play examines the meaning of love, marriage and family connection when the pursuit of happiness threatens to put it all in jeopardy. Grand Horizons opens this Thursday, March 16, and runs through Sunday, April 2, at the Strauss Black Box Theatre in the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (210 East Monroe Avenue, 314-759-1455). Tickets are $15 to $40 and can be purchased at metrotix.com/events/detail/moonstone-grand-horizons.
Friday 03/17
Get Lucky
Don your green, unless you want to get pinched, and head to Dogtown for the annual Ancient Order of Hibernians Parade. The parade starts at 11 a.m. at Tamm and Oakland avenues and continues along Tamm Avenue to Manchester Avenue. While some parades may be flashier, there is no parade more Irish. Enjoy Irish dancing, floats, Irish music, and nods to Irish history and culture. The parade is 2 hours and free. If you need more luck o' the Irish, then hang out for the Dogtown Irish Festival. There will be live music at Clayton and Tamm avenues, and at St. James the Greater Church you can catch traditional Irish performances. The event starts at 9 a.m. and goes till 6 p.m. All the businesses along Tamm will close at 8 p.m.
Saturday 03/18
Crazy Quilts
Though there are technically only three types of quilts — patchwork, appliqué and embroidered — you should know that isn't nearly the whole story. Within those broad categories there's, for example, English paper piecing, where the quilter would wrap fabric around paper templates and then baste and press it all before sewing everything together. Or Hawaiian quilts, which date back to 1820s-era missionaries, and really have no function considering the islands' climate. Or the watercolor quilt, which is totally made up of tiny blocks that are meant to resemble a painting when complete. And these are only a few of the many styles and designs out there. But St. Louis quilt lovers — or the quilt-curious — need not resort to a few listed styles. Instead, they can head to the Fanfare of Quilts 2023 event and check out more than 350 quilts by the Bits 'n' Pieces quilt guild members. Held at Queeny Park Recreation Complex (550 Weidman Road, Ballwin; 314-615-8472), this year's show will also include special exhibits from Roxann Jasper and MJ Kinman, as well as antique bed-turning, a raffle, demonstrations, guild challenges and more. The fanfare runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 18, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 19. Admission is $8. More info at bitsnpiecesguild.com.
The Wearing of the Green
This Saturday, March 18, there is no shame in wearing a bright green suit and a top hat in St. Louis. In fact, you'll find people dressed just like you all throughout the Grove for the St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Stroll. For a mere $15, you get access to multiple bars in the Grove, including Hot Java Bar, Taha'a Twisted Tiki, Open Concept and the Get Down STL; half-off drink specials; 20-percent-off food specials; live music and more. So starting at 4 p.m. at Hot Java (4193 Manchester Avenue, 636-888-5282), bring out those leprechaun outfits — according to organizers, there just might be a pot of gold (a.k.a. a prize) in it for the best-dressed. For more information, visit pubcrawls.com/shamrock-stroll-st-paddys-pub-crawl-st-louis.
Say Less
Any event with both "burlesque" and "circus" in the title is practically guaranteed to be a good time. This Saturday, March 18, join "Creole Goddess of Burlesque" Josie Laveaux for an evening of talented performers and bared beauties as part of BareCat Cabaret: A Prohibition Burlesque and Circus Variety Show. South city venue Aurora (7413 South Broadway) will host burlesque and drag performances by Dandy Dillinger, Leena Allure, Rose Whip and more. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m. General admission costs $25, but standing-room tickets are available for $20. More info at aurorastl.com.
Sunday 03/19
Good Seeds
Liberian-American director Cheryl Dunye plays a character based on herself in the 1996 romantic comedy-drama The Watermelon Woman. The film is centered on Dunye's character becoming obsessed with Black female actresses who appeared, often without credit, in films from the 1930s and '40s. She sets out to make a documentary about one such actress, who is listed in the credits of a film only as "the watermelon woman." The film was well-received at the time of its release for the humor through which it broached serious ideas. Feminist scholar Camille Paglia makes an appearance as herself. You can see it on the big screen at the Arkadin Cinema & Bar (5228 Gravois Avenue 314-221-2173) this Sunday, March 19, at 2 p.m. Tickets are only $9. Buy them ahead of time at arkadincinema.com.
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