The summer heat isn’t stopping the fun in St. Louis. All around town, there’s music, food, light shows and celebrations. Check out the list below for the best foodie-fun around this July.
Riverfest
Celebrate the Fourth of July with two days of festivities in St. Charles. The annual Riverfest celebrates the history of St. Charles with live music, food and drink, kids’ activities and a carnival. New this year is a drone show on July 3 with hundreds of synchronized drones forming patriotic designs above the Missouri River starting at 9:20 p.m. On July 4, the Riverfest Parade kicks off at 10 a.m., and the fireworks show begins at 9:20 p.m.
July 3-4 – Frontier Park, 500 S. Riverside Drive, St. Charles, stcharlescitymo.gov/1037/Riverfest
Summer Nights
Now through Labor Day, Grant’s Farm is hosting Summer Nights and the Drone Light Show. At 6 p.m., local bands take the stage, and at 9 p.m., catch the new and extended drone light show, Grant’s Farm in the Sky. Tickets are $14, with great food and drink options available for purchase. Guests 21 or older can also enjoy two complimentary beer samples at the Anheuser-Busch Hospitality Bar. Check out the Grant’s Farm website for a full lineup of music acts, and save big when you purchase parking in advance.
July 3-5, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 31 – 5-10 p.m. Grant’s Farm, 7385 Grant Road, St. Louis, 314.843.1700, grantsfarm.com
Munchie Market
STL’s Pot Chef’s Munchie Market – Summer Edition returns July 5 at HandleBar, featuring some of St. Louis’ favorite infused and non-infused food vendors, chefs, artists and small businesses. Enjoy exclusive food and drinks, hourly raffles (including Cardinals and Lil Wayne tickets), a 420 photo booth, interactive games, giveaways and more. The first 150 guests receive free Old Vienna chips, while VIP guests enjoy exclusive samples and goodies. This 21+ event is the perfect way to cap off the holiday weekend. Passes range from $25 to $80 and are available at stlpotchefs.com.
July 5 – 1-6 p.m. HandleBar, 4127 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, stlpotchefs.com
Workshop Wednesdays
Slow down this summer by working with your hands. Eckert’s Belleville Farm is offering two Workshop Wednesdays in July. The Pickling Class is on July 8. Guests will learn how to preserve fresh produce in their own brine for maximum flavor. On July 22, check out the Peach Jam Workshop to learn how to create the perfect consistency out of just-picked peaches. Both classes send attendees home with their own creation, plus a recipe card. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased on the Eckert’s website.
July 8 & 22 – 6:30-8:30 p.m. Eckert’s Farm, 951 S. Green Mount Road, Belleville, 800.745.0513, eckerts.com
Green Living Festival
The Green Living Festival is celebrating 25 years this July. This event is included with general garden admission and includes a full day of family-friendly activities. They’ll have educational workshops, yoga, a tree canopy climb, DIY projects for home, plus music and prizes. Get there early: St. Louis city and county residents get free garden admission until noon.
July 11 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, 314.577.5100, missouribotanicalgarden.org
National Hot Dog Day
St. Louis has an official hot dog, and you can get it at Steve’s Hot Dogs on South Grand. To celebrate National Hot Dog Day, they’re planning a special menu of dogs created in partnership with some local celebrities. Their Classic Hot Dog menu will also be available at Throwback Retro pricing. Steve’s is also hosting a reading challenge all summer long. It’s simple: read 20 books, get a hot dog. Find out more on their website.
July 15 – Steve’s Hot Dogs, 3145 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.932.5953, steveshotdogsstl.com
Music at the Intersection
MATI is back in the Grand Center Arts District for its sixth year. The weekend-long music festival and conference features more than 100 performances by artists like Wyclef Jean, Killer Mike and Big Freedia. A kick-off concert on July 16 will be at the Fabulous Fox Theatre with none other than 8-time Grammy winner Jon Batiste. The rest of the weekend’s performances will take place across five main Grand Center Arts District stages including the Fabulous Fox, The Sovereign, The Big Top, Jazz St. Louis and Sophie’s Artist Lounge. Everyone can enjoy DJs, vendors, food trucks, art activations, roller skating and more as part of a free Washington Avenue community block party on Friday and Saturday. MATI tickets start at $45 for day passes or $109 for weekend passes. Jon Batiste’s concert at the Fox is a separate ticket; all can be purchased at metrotix.com.
July 16-19 – Grand Center Arts District, matistl.org
National Ice Cream Weekend
National Ice Cream Day is July 19, but the home of the ice cream martini celebrates all weekend long. A special menu will be available the whole weekend. On Sunday, July 19, guests can hear live-action radio serials in the restaurant. Local actors will perform the “The Great Locust Street Sundae Scheme” throughout the day on Sunday. Tentative times are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., but keep an eye on The Fountain’s socials more for all the details. The restaurant will also have a special menu July 1-19 promoting Music at the Intersection, including a raspberry lemon drop ice cream martini with lemon sorbet, housemade raspberry sauce, limoncello and vodka for a tart treat with a boozy backbone.
July 18-19 – The Fountain on Locust, 3037 Locust St., St. Louis, 314.535.7800, fountainonlocust.com
Route 66 Experience
2026 is the centennial of Route 66, the Mother Road that took travelers through St. Louis on their way to Los Angeles from Chicago. To celebrate, Live! by Loews is offering a Route 66 Experience now through November. The hotel’s rooftop restaurant and bar, The Bullock, will have a Route 66-inspired menu with elevated, nostalgic favorites. Guests can opt for themed guestroom packages and grab a custom map created with Rand McNally Publishing that features notable stops between Chicago and St. Louis. Those traveling with kids receive complimentary STEAM Explorer Kits as part of the Loews Little Legends program, designed to turn curiosity into adventure and perfect for discovery along the open road. Live! also has some exclusives, like the Bacon & Waffles popcorn created with Nuts on Clark and Bourbon and Brown Butter and Bourbon Caramel ice cream created with Bold Spoon Creamery.
Throughout July – Live! by Loews, 799 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314.597.9701, loewshotels.com
Cool Off with Clementine’s
The heat advisories have already begun, but Clementine’s Ice Cream is ready to keep you cool. Now through August, check out their International Travel collection with flavors like Creme Brulee from Paris and Mango Lassi from Mumbai. The Brigadeiro from Rio is a sweet combination of chocolate, sprinkles and fudge, while the Om Ali from Cairo is a dairy-free take on bread pudding. On National Ice Cream Day, July 19, the parlors will have exclusive one-day-only flavors, and the first 50 guests at each location will receive a free T-shirt (one shirt per transaction).
Throughout July – Multiple locations, clementinesicecream.com
This article appears in July 2026.