Festus officials have announced a long list of festivals, concerts, car cruises and other events to be held in the city this year, with the first two set for May.
All the festivities scheduled for 2024 are return events that have been popular in the past, recreation and tourism director Barb Lowry said.
“We have good attendance at these events,” she said.
■ First up will be the return of Food Truck Mondays on May 6. The event has food trucks sell their wares from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the first Monday of each month, or the second Monday if a holiday falls on the first, from the Festus Public Library parking lot, 400 West Main St. Sometimes the food trucks sell out before 3 p.m.
The Food Truck Mondays will run through November. The food trucks lined up so far include the following: May 6, Yo Dawg; June 3, Picture Perfect Paninis; July 1, Kanoa Hawaiian Grill; Aug. 5, Kater Me.
■ Next up will be the Swingin’ Under the Stars concert at 6 p.m. on Mother’s Day, May 12, on the big stage at Larry G. Crites Memorial Park along Old Hwy. A. The MOBB (Missouri Big Band) will perform, under the direction of Joe Pappas and featuring vocalist Joe Scalzitti.
Lowry said one of the biggest challenges when organizing outdoor gatherings is dealing with the weather, like last year when the Swingin’ Under the Stars was postponed because of weather.
“Last year, we were getting good feedback on having it on Mother’s Day. Then, it had to be rescheduled because of weather,” she said. “Hopefully, this year we’ll get it in on Mother’s Day. People said they like the idea of having it to cap off Mother’s Day.”
Below is a list of other 2024 events that the city of Festus or the Festus Tourism Commission are sponsoring:
Main Street during the 2021 Festus Mayor’s Car Cruise.
■ June 1, Mayor’s Summer Cruise; Sept. 16, Mayor’s Fall Cruise. Both events begin with a car show at 2 p.m. on the Festus Public Library parking lot.
Lowry said that while a road improvement project on Main Street could still be underway when the Summer Cruise is scheduled, the event will go on as scheduled.
“We’ll have it whether the construction is done or not,” she said.
■ June 28-29, Twin City Firecracker Festival at Crites Park. The annual event, always planned for the last weekend in June, will include carnival rides, games, live music, a fireworks display and more.
“The fireworks display will be at 10 p.m. on the Saturday again,” Lowry said.
■ July 13 will be the kickoff for this year’s Movies Under the Stars, which feature free screenings of family films at the big stage at Crites Park. The Saturday night events are set for July 13, July 27 and Aug. 10. The films start at approximately 8:45 p.m. Lowry said she is still working on what films will be shown, although one is known.
“One will be ‘Elf,’” she said. “It got rained out last year, so we still have a credit for it. We don’t know which night it will be shown right now.”
Festivities for this year's Twin City Days included a breakfast at Larry G. Crites Memorial Park in Festus; free bowling at Quonset Lanes in C…
■ Sept. 5-8, Twin City Days. While the activities are held in both Crystal City and Festus and the Twin City Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the festival, the city of Festus participates in a variety of ways, including hosting a couple of annual activities at Crites Park.
■ In September, the Sundays at Sunset concerts series will be held at Sunset Park along Parkview Drive. The Tourism Commission sponsors the free concerts, which begin at 6 p.m. at the park’s stage.
The scheduled performers include Sept. 8, Route 67, which is based in Farmington and plays old country music; Sept. 15, The MOBB (Missouri Big Band); Sept. 22, Bad Habit, a Festus-based rock band; Sept. 29, Funky Butt Brass Band, a St. Louis-based band that includes drummer Ron Sikes, the Jefferson R-7 School District music director, that performs funk and soul music.
■ Sept. 28-29, George Portz Traditional Music Festival at the Crites Park big stage. Portz died last year, but his family has kept the festival going. The popular event is not organized by the city, but the Festus Tourism Commission is a sponsor.
■ Sept. 28, Cruisin’ for a Cause Car Show to benefit the Ozark Food Pantry from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lower field at Crites Park along Old Hwy. A.
Lowry said the event is not sponsored by the city, but she wanted to mention it because it will coincide with the Traditional Music Festival.
“They’re separate events,” she said. “Just, both will be in the park at the same time.”
■ Oct. 5, West City Trash & Treasure Expo, a communitywide yard sale held at Crites Park.
“They can start to sign up for spots Aug. 5,” Lowry said. “The cost is $20 for a space.”
The Lenhard family Christmas light show is set up at Larry G. Crites Memorial Park in Festus.
■ October and December, the Lenhard Family Light Show-Halloween Edition and the Lenhard Family Light Show-Christmas Edition, both at Crites Park. Lowry said the family puts on spectacular holiday light displays synched up to music, with the help of Festus, which built a permanent structure at Crites Park for the Lenhards to install thousands of lights. Admission is free.
Dates for the Halloween shows are Oct. 3-6, 10-13, 17-20, then every night from Oct. 24-31.
Dates for the Christmas shows are Nov. 28-Dec. 1, Dec. 5-8 and 12-15, then every night from Dec. 19-Jan. 1.
■ Nov. 2, Camp Crites at Crites Park.
“You can camp at the park (where camping normally is prohibited),” Lowry said. “There is no charge.”
■ Dec. 7, WinterFest in downtown Festus, including the Festus Public Library parking lot. The annual event offers many free activities, such as bounce houses, along with some that come with a cost. It will feature ice skating on an artificial surface on the library parking lot.
“There are no major changes for WinterFest,” Lowry said. “I’m just very thankful the Tourism Commission heard what the people wanted and liked and made sure there was enough funding to ensure we will have a skating rink.”
■ Dec. 7 and multiple other dates leading up to Christmas, Santa visits the Santa House at Schneider Park, the intersection of Main and Mill streets. Families may take photos of their children visiting Santa for no cost.
“It opens during WinterFest,” Lowry said. “Because WinterFest and Christmas are so close together this year, we are adding Wednesday visits along with the others.”
Saturday sessions are noon to 5 p.m. Sessions all other days are 6-8 p.m.
Santa is scheduled to appear at the Santa House Dec. 7, 10-14 and 17-21.
■ Fridays in December, Santa’s Mail Bag. It’s a YouTube event that has Santa reading letters sent to him.
For more information about the events, visit festusmo.gov or the city of Festus Facebook page.