Summer is the season for sunshine, sports and barbecues, but with all of that fun
comes an increased risk of injuries as families head outdoors. Touchette Regional Hospital and Southern Illinois Healthcare are helping Metro East families enjoy a safe summer by sponsoring this free Summer Safety Fest.
Families can learn about health issues, such as emergency care, Healthy Start prenatal education and START NOW breast cancer awareness. Health screenings will be available for visitors as well.
Kids will enjoy a morning of games and activities, and can visit with members of the East St. Louis police and fire departments to learn how they can stay safe all summer. There will also be free snacks, and prize drawings for smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, air conditioners, gift baskets and gift cards.
10 a.m. to noon at Walgreens, 2510 State Street in East St. Louis.
Free. More information: touchette.org
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, and special activities for kids.
Kids can work on existing gym skills, learn new skills or just play around during Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym in Creve Coeur.
Wagon rides, live entertainment, great festival foods, a petting zoo and much more make this an apple pickin' good time for the whole family. There will be pony rides, a children's carnival, opportunities to feed goats and other farm animals, caramel apples, funnel cakes and more.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
LEGO Club at the St. Louis County Library is a free opportunity for kids to gather and have fun building with LEGO bricks. LEGOs are provided.