Explore St. Louis

It's time to celebrate America's birthday and here along the Mississippi River that means it's time for Fair St. Louis -- a party filled with free music, tasty food and spectacular fireworks shows.

Saturday, July 1, the annual celebration kicks off at 10 a.m. with the Veiled Prophet Parade -- a mysterious tradition found only in St. Louis. Who is the Veiled Prophet? Who knows? But he brings marching bands, floats and all manner of fun to the streets of downtown St. Louis. The parade, a tradition since 1878, begins at 4th Street and Washington Avenue and continues south on 4th Street and west on Market to end at 20th Street.

Also at 10 a.m., restaurants offering tastes of St. Louis-style cooking open on the deck of "Eats Bridge," (the historic Eads Bridge, renamed for the party). Other activities include the Family Fun Village, Buster Brown Kids Stage, National Park Service Exhibits and much more.

The Fair officially opens at 11 a.m. and a free performance by B5 from the hit TV movie, "High School Musical" takes place on the main stage at 1 p.m. St. Louis' best local bands continue the music all day with sets at 3:00, 4:30 and 6 p.m.

At 8 p.m., Jason Mraz hits the Budweiser Main Stage for a free concert featuring his unique blend of roots, rock, coffeehouse folk and jazz.

The evening ends with the U.S. Bank/Enterprise Rent-a-Car Fireworks under the Gateway Arch.

On Tuesday, July 4, restaurants again open at 10 a.m. on Eads Bridge and the Fair opens at 5:30 p.m. Hootie and the Blowfish perform on the Budweiser Main Stage at 8:00 p.m. Local bands open the show at 7:00 p.m.

Fireworks end the party at 9:00 p.m. (Free music, food and fireworks continue each Friday and Saturday night from July 14-15 through August 11-12 with Live on the Levee.)