Celebrating the history, culture, and people of Japan, the Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the largest and oldest festivals of its kind in the United States. Your family can enjoy guided walking tours, bonsai, cooking, martial arts and origami demonstrations, sumo wrestling, special activities for kids.
The festival will be held Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, Sept. 3 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Monday, Sept. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $16 for adults and kids ages 13 and older; $12 for ages 3-12; $8 for adult Garden members, and free for children age 2 and under. Festival-level members and their children get in free.
Since 1977, the Missouri Botanical Garden has produced the annual Japanese Festival in conjunction with the Japanese Activities Committee, a coalition of several Japanese-American organizations that provide art, dance, food and entertainment for thousands of visitors each year.
For more information visit: missouribotanicalgarden.org
Stop in and have some fun in the indoor pool at the Lodge of Des Peres with your little one at this drop-in swim time for kids up to age 6. No pre-registration is needed; Water Waddlers is open to residents and non-residents of Des Peres.
At this free art program for ages 3-6 the focus is on the process of making art rather than the finished product. Dress to get messy!
See the amazing sea lions at the Saint Louis Zoo perform for the crowd and cheer them on from the bleachers as the popular Sea Lion Spring Training Shows return. You'll see these beautiful animals perform flipper walks, ball balancing, Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, lots of splashing and even more surprises!
Daytime Playtime is an open gym for children ages 2-5 where the possibilities for fun and learning (through fun) are endless! Children will participate in activities that build coordination, strength, balance and self-confidence. They'll develop stronger motor skills, social skills, and take part in theme-based creative activities.
This special story is geared to little ones ages 6 months to 2 years with a parent or caregiver. In addition to stories, there will be lap bounces, songs, rhymes and more!