Tag: Family Fun

Fourth Friday Art Walk – Historic Downtown Ste. Genevieve Once a month, as twilight settles over the oldest town in Missouri, something magical happens. The historic streets come alive with art, conversation, and community as locals and visitors alike gather for the Fourth Friday Art Walk—a beloved tradition that transforms downtown Ste. Genevieve into an open-air gallery celebration. An Evening of Art and Discovery From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the fourth Friday of each month (February through November), the art galleries, shops, and businesses of Historic Downtown Ste. Genevieve open their doors wide, inviting you to enjoy a leisurely evening stroll through one of America’s most charming historic districts. It’s more than just an art walk—it’s a chance to slow down, connect with creativity, and experience the vibrant cultural life that thrives in this centuries-old river town. A Showcase of Regional Talent The galleries participating in the Art Walk feature works from talented local and regional artists working in a diverse array of mediums. You might encounter stunning paintings that capture the beauty of the Mississippi River Valley, intricate sculptures, handcrafted jewelry, fine photography, pottery, textiles, and mixed media pieces that push creative boundaries. Each Art Walk offers Read more…

ASL Pewter Foundry At 183 South 3rd Street in Sainte Geneviève, Tom and Patricia Hooper have spent nearly 40 years creating museum-quality pewter pieces using techniques that colonial craftspeople would recognize—casting molten tin alloy into antique molds, spinning flat pewter discs on an 1873 water-powered lathe (now electrified), and welding handles onto tankards with micro-torch precision. This isn’t a demonstration behind ropes; it’s an active studio where you can watch the Hoopers work, commission custom pieces, learn the chemistry and history of the tin-based alloy that graced America’s founding families’ tables, and leave with functional heirlooms made by hands that understand centuries-old craft traditions. The work has earned White House recognition (Pat and Tom met First Lady Laura Bush during George W. Bush’s administration), appeared in HBO’s John Adams miniseries starring Paul Giamatti, and attracted collectors recognizing that genuinely handcrafted American pewter—100% lead-free, made using antique tools and traditional methods—has become exceptionally rare in an era of mass production and overseas manufacturing. One collector testified: “Holding an ASL Pewter piece connects you directly to colonial craftspeople who used similar techniques 250 years ago—the weight, finish, and subtle imperfections prove human hands shaped the metal, not machines.” Pewter: Colonial Middle Ground Read more…

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…

Baetje Farms Just across from Chateau Ste. Genevieve winery on Jackson School Road in Bloomsdale, Baetje Farms has established itself as one of Ste. Genevieve County’s most remarkable agricultural success stories—a comprehensive agritourism destination where award-winning artisan cheese production, immersive farm experiences, and elegant event hosting come together to create something truly special. Important: Baetje Farms is a working farm. Tours and tastings require advance booking by phone. Do not show up without calling ahead to schedule your visit. Founded by Steve and Veronica Baetje and now operated by the Clement family (who also owns The Kozy and Dew Drop Inn), this is not just a farm that happens to make cheese—it’s a world-class artisan operation where white Saanen goats graze on-site, provide milk, and become central to an immersive experience understanding how exceptional cheese begins with happy, healthy animals producing the best possible milk. The award-winning cheeses—Bloomsdale (Super Gold World Cheese Awards winner inspired by Valencay), Miette (“small, sweet thing,” their most awarded honeymoon cheese), Coeur de la Crème, Vallée, and Amoureux—aren’t “good for a local product”; they’re legitimately world-class, standing alongside finest artisan products from anywhere in the world. One delighted visitor testified: “The tour was absolutely incredible—seeing Read more…

The Bossier-Shaw House Site Office and Interpretive Center – Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Gateway to Sainte Geneviève’s Layered History Most historic site visitor centers occupy modern buildings constructed specifically for administrative functions—climate-controlled boxes with exhibit spaces designed from the beginning for interpretive displays. The Bossier-Shaw House operates differently. This is a genuine 1819 building constructed by Jean-Baptiste Bossier as a storehouse for his mercantile business, later expanded by Dr. Benjamin Shaw into a residence, and transformed in the 1930s into the headquarters for the Ste. Genevieve Art Colony—a radical gathering of Depression-era artists including Thomas Hart Benton, Joe Jones, Jessie Beard Rickly, and Aimee Schweig who captured tenant farmers’ encampments, lime kiln workers, sharecroppers, and the human condition in ways that established this small Missouri river town as “the Mecca of Midwestern art.” Today, operated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources as the site office and interpretive center for the Felix Vallé State Historic Site complex, the Bossier-Shaw House hosts rotating exhibits throughout the year that explore the area’s history in the context of broader Missouri heritage, maintains a small gift shop featuring books on French Colonial history and colonial period items, and presides over the coolest feature Read more…