ABSTRACT
While sports venues often act as public celebrations of city pride, street festivals are also important to residents as expressions of ethnic and community identity. Annual ethnic celebrations such as the St. Patrick’s Day parade are outlets for many heritage groups. The Festival of African and African American Music puts the spotlight on traditional gospel and dance groups, and the Strassenfest features German food, crafts, and music. Fair St. Louis is the city’s massive Fourth of July celebration on the grounds of the Gateway Arch, complete with fireworks and an air show. Building on the city’s blues roots, the Big Muddy Blues Festival in September brings national acts to the city as well as featuring homegrown talent. The four-day St. Louis Storytelling Festival, established in 1980, is a showcase for local tale-tellers and often has themes related to the city’s pioneer and ethnic past. Concerned with preserving St. Louis traditions, organizations such as the International Folklore Federation and the Missouri Historical Society have active programs to document and conserve the city’s folklife.
