All Our Seasons in Sainte Genevieve

The Sunday After the French Heritage Festival Levee Wildlife Refuge Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670 Call us at 573-880- The famed ornithologist John James Audubon lived for a short time in Ste. Geneviève. Audubon’s Walk is a naturalist lead hike atop the Ste. Geneviève Urban Levee. Come see what shows up: cliff swallows, horned larks, red-winged blackbird, eastern bluebird, and more! Read more…

Centre for French Colonial Life – Gateway to America’s French Heritage At the corner of 2nd and Market Streets in the heart of Ste. Genevieve’s Historic District stands the Centre for French Colonial Life, an institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the remarkably rich story of the French colonial presence in the Mississippi River Valley. Your Journey Begins Here The Centre for French Colonial Life is designed to be your first stop when exploring Ste. Genevieve’s French colonial heritage. Inside this modern facility, you’ll find everything you need to make the most of your visit: thoughtfully curated changing exhibits that provide context and depth, a well-stocked gift shop offering books and items related to French colonial history, and friendly staff ready to answer questions and help you plan your exploration of the museum campus. This is where you’ll purchase tickets for the guided tours of the historic Bolduc and LeMeilleur Houses, learn about special programs and events, and get oriented to the broader story you’re about to experience. The Centre serves as the interpretive foundation that makes your visits to the historic houses more meaningful—providing background, context, and the big-picture understanding that transforms a tour of old buildings into Read more…

Saturday August 27, 2022 When: 4th Saturday in August Call us at 800-373-7007 or 573-883-7097 A family-friendly, living history event! Observe Civil War camp life and demonstrations of marching, and musket fire. Learn about Ste. Geneviève citizens who fought in the war, some on each side. It is actually being held on Saturday, August 27th. The camp will be set up in the yard of the Felix Valle House State Historic Site. From 11:00am to 11:45am on that day, we will do a re-enactment of the Federal troops taking money from our bank during the early days of the Civil War. The re-enactment will be on the corner of Merchant and Main in front of the Show Me Shop. Read more…

October 22, 2022 “Meet” Dr. Lewis Linn, Missouri’s model Senator, Ferdinand Rozier an early merchant, and Jean Baptiste Valle an early leader of the community. Or “meet” folks portraying the well-to-do, or the not-so-well-to-do, residents of Ste. Geneviève’s history before 1880? At the Déjà vu Spirit Reunion, on the 4th Saturday in October from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., visitors will experience these stories and more as the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Geneviève hosts its annual event in the historic Memorial Cemetery. Tour the cemetery via lantern light and chat “face-to-face” with friendly spirits clad in traditional dress and enjoy a hauntingly good time. Sponsored by the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Geneviève as a fundraiser for Memorial Cemetery. Read more…

Sainte Geneviève Holiday Christmas Festival Two Days of Music, History, and Celebration in Missouri’s Oldest Town Every first weekend of December, Sainte Geneviève transforms into what AAA Magazine has recognized as one of the top two Christmas celebrations in the entire Midwest. The annual Holiday Christmas Festival fills Missouri’s oldest town with a remarkable two-day program that spans more than 700 years of holiday music—from Renaissance sacred works to contemporary jazz—all performed in historic churches, galleries, and gathering spaces throughout the downtown district. With one of the state’s largest parades, elegant historical receptions, hands-on craft experiences, and French colonial holiday traditions, this free community celebration has grown over four decades into an event that draws visitors from across the region while remaining authentically rooted in Sainte Geneviève’s unique cultural heritage. A Festival Built on Generosity and Community Spirit Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the Holiday Christmas Festival is what it costs to attend: nothing. Nearly every event across the entire weekend—from world-class musical performances to craft workshops, from the parade to Santa photos, from historical programming to art exhibitions—is completely free. This generosity reflects Sainte Geneviève’s community values and the festival’s purpose: sharing the town’s historic character and holiday Read more…