Public Safety Director's Spotlight - 2015 National Night Out

 

2015 National Night Out

The annual National Night Out (NNO) celebration will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 4.  If your block or neighborhood hasn't registered its NNO event yet, now is the time to do so.  Registration for street closing ends Wednesday, July 22, 2015.  For party ideas and themes, visit the https://natw.org/ web site.  To register your celebration with the City of St. Louis, log on to:https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/neighborhood-stabilization-office/nno-registration.cfm .  National Night Out is a great way to celebrate your neighborhood's successes.

Upcoming Events

July 17 -- Breakfast for Bikers, The Downtown Bicycle Station, 1011 Locust Street, 7 to 9 a.m.

Trailnet, Kaldi's and Mississippi Mud Coffee Roasters have teamed up to promote biking to work.  Join them for free breakfast and coffee on your commute to Downtown St. Louis this Friday.  For more details, visit the trailnet.org web site.

July 17 – Music at the Intersection, Grand Center, 5 to 7 p.m.

Grand Center will be the place to be this Friday for the first installment of the Music @ the Intersection Festival.  The festival will kick off with a "happy hour" concert in Strauss Park that will highlight blues and jazz.  The music will continue on into the night inside some of St. Louis' hottest restaurants and venues, including Ferring Jazz Bistro at Jazz St. Louis, The Kranzberg Arts Center, the Stage at KDHX, The Dark Room, Dooley's Beef N Brew House, Lucha, and Vito's Sicilian Pizzeria & Ristorante.  The festival will also feature local beer tents, street art, food and drink specials, and so much more.  For specific day line ups, visit the MAIFestival Facebook page.

July 17 – Ferris Bueller's Day Off Movie Night, Ritz Park, 3147 S. Grand, 8 p.m.

Grab your lawn chairs and blankets and settle in for a showing of the classic, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, in Ritz Park on South Grand this Friday.  Grab food to-go from a nearby business or pack a dinner and drinks and join your neighbors for an evening of fun under the stars.For more details, visit the southgrand.org web site.

July 17 – St. Louis Art Museum Outdoor Film Services, Art Hill in Forest Park, 6 p.m.

Come enjoy the outdoors, fantastic food, great live music, and some of your favorite movies at St. Louis Art Museum's Third Annual Outdoor Film Series.  Relax and picnic at the base of Art Hill this Friday and indulge in offerings of food trucks as the featured film, "Jaws" plays on an enormous screen for all to see.  The food trucks and music will start at 6 p.m.  The film will begin promptly at 9 p.m.  To learn more, visit http://www.slam.org/filmseries/ .

Every Friday, May – September – Lunchtime Live, Old Post Office Plaza, 801 Locust, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Lunchtime Live is Downtown's premier outdoor lunchtime party that features live bands, food trucks and great networking opportunities.  Invite your co-workers to join you at this fun way to spend your lunch hour.  For more information, visit the downtownstl.org web site.

Every Friday – STLive on Washington Avenue, participating venues on Washington Avenue in Downtown St. Louis, 5 p.m.

Washington Avenue is alive with the sound of music every Friday night all year 'round at various Washington Avenue restaurants such as Tigin, Pi, Robust, Takaya, Dubliner, Copia, Flamingo Bowl, Hair of the Dog, Blondie's, Lucas Park Grille, Rosalita's, Wash Ave Post, Hiro Asian Kitchen, Sen Thai and many more.  Restaurants offer drink and dinner specials in addition to the live music.  All genres of music – from pop to jazz to country to rock -- are represented.  There is something for everyone to enjoy.  For more information, visit the STLiveMusic page on Facebook.

July 18 – Barbecue, Watson Terrace Christian Church, 4205 Watson Road at Winnebago, Noon to 7 p.m.

Stop by Watson Terrace Christian Church this Saturday for delicious barbecue.  Menu items for purchase include pork steaks, brats, chicken breasts, hot dogs, and burgers plus a selection of side dishes, desserts and beverages.  Eat in or carry out.  Need more information?  Call (314) 647-3840.

July 18 – Free Concert, Lafayette Park, SE Corner, 6 to 9 p.m.

Do you enjoy good old Rock and Roll music?  If so, then consider stopping by the free concert in Lafayette Park this Saturday featuring The Backstreet Cruisers.  Join your neighbors for a fun evening in a beautiful city park.  For more information, visit the lafayettesquare.org web site.

July 19 – Paddle with your Pooch, The Boathouse in Forest Park, 1 to 4 p.m.

The 12^th Annual Paddle with your Pooch dog-and-master boat race will be held at the Boathouse in beautiful Forest Park this Sunday.  Bring your furry friends and test your paddling prowess on Post-Dispatch Lake.  Each heat is limited to 22 boats, so sign up now to reserve your spot in the race.  A portion of the proceeds from the race will be donated to Forest Park Forever for maintaining the beauty of the park.  For all the details, visit the boathouseforestpark.com web site.

July 19 – 15^th Annual Back-to School! Store, Central Reform Congregation, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The National Council of Jewish Women-St. Louis Section will hold its 2015 Back-to-School! Store this Sunday.  The event will provide pre-qualified school children with the resources they need to succeed.  A child sponsorship donation of $180 will provide a child with school clothing and supplies including a hat, gloves and coat to begin the school year ready to learn.  Volunteering to help is a wonderful way to see the community in action. For more information, go to www.ncjwbtss.org or call the office at (314) 993-5181.

Every Sunday through August 2 -- Sunday Serenades, Francis Park, Eichelberger and Donovan, 7:30 p.m.

The Compton Heights Concert Band is once again presenting its Sunday Serenades Concert Series in Francis Park.  Enjoy the South By Southwest 2015 performers on July 19.  Join your neighbors for a lively night of entertainment in a beautiful park.  To learn more, visit the chband.org web site.

July 19 – Free Concert, Carondelet Park, 6 to 8 p.m.

The Carondelet Community Betterment Federation is presenting its 27^th Annual Concerts in the Park Series now through Aug. 23^rd.  Each concert is free to the public.  Bring your blanket and friends and join the fun at the performance by Abbey Road Warriors this Sunday in Carondelet Park.  For details about the concerts at Carondelet Park and others that will be held in South St. Louis Square Park, Fanetti Park and Bellerive Park throughout the summer, visit www.carondeletliving.com.

Every Monday through August 3 – Musical Mondays, Tower Grove Park, Magnolia & S. Grand, 7:30 p.m.

The Compton Heights Concert Band is once again presenting its Musical Mondays Concert Series in Tower Grove Park.  Enjoy the South By Southwest 2015 performers on July 20.  Join your neighbors for a lively night of entertainment in a beautiful park. To learn more, visit the chband.org web site.

July 20 – Free Concert, Bellerive Park, 5570 South Broadway, 7 to 9 p.m.

Bring your chairs, blankets and friends to Bellerive Park on Monday, July 13 for a free concert by The Greer's.  The Carondelet Summer Concerts in the Park Series is a longstanding annual celebration of diverse music, hosting local musicians at various parks in the Carondelet neighborhood each week.  For more information, visit the carondeletliving.com web site.

July 21 – Free Concert, Fanetti Park, Michigan & Ivory, 7 to 9 p.m.

Bring your chairs, blankets and friends to Fanetti Park on Tuesday, July 14 for a free concert by Big Shake Daddies. The Carondelet Summer Concerts in the Park Series is a longstanding annual celebration of diverse music, hosting local musicians at various parks in the Carondelet neighborhood each week.  For more information, visit the carondeletliving.com web site.

Every Wednesday – Wednesday Lunch Free Concert Series, Citygarden, 10^th & Market, 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

The Wednesday Lunch bands at Citygarden have returned and perform every Wednesday through Aug. 26.  Refreshments will be served.  Stop by and catch the performance by MoE Trio on Wednesday, July 22.  Visit the citygardenstl.org web site for more details.

Now through August 23 – Lantern Festival:  Magic Reimagined, Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, times vary

This year's Lantern Festival:  Magic Reimagined has brought all-new lighted works of art to the Missouri Botanical Garden for the summer.  The all-new sets crafted from silk and steel are once again offering visitors from around the world the opportunity to experience an event rarely staged outside of Asia.  For ticket information, visit the missouribotanicalgarden.org web site or call (314) 678-7442.

Save the Date

July 25 – Bevo Bazaar

July 25 – Fox Park Party

July 26 – O'Fallon Park Farmers Market, YMCA

July 26 – Free Concert, Benton Park, Arsenal & South Jefferson, 3 to 6 p.m.

Promoting Your Neighborhood Activities

Is there a neighborhood event on the schedule that you would like noted in the Spotlight?If so, you may email the information about it to me at GrayR@stlouis-mo.gov or to Cathy Smentkowski at smentkowskic@stlouis-mo.gov for consideration.You may also post it on the City's Calendar of Events on the City's web site:  http://stlouis-mo.gov.  The link to submit an event is at the very bottom of the home page.  The listing is free.  I encourage you to take advantage of this free way to promote your event.

Happy 214^th Birthday, Henry Shaw!

The Missouri Botanical Garden will be celebrating Garden Founder Henry Shaw's birthday on Friday, July 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Admission that day (from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) will be free for all visitors.  Festivities will include a silhouette artist, stilt walker, balloon artist and marionette shows (10:30 a.m., noon and 1:30 p.m.). Visit the missouribotanicalgarden.org web site for more information.

Col. Richard Gray

Director of Public Safety

City of St. Louis