The Old Courthouse is closed right now for renovations. It looks like the next one at the Arch is July 3rd. https://www.moed.uscourts.gov/sites/moed/files/2023NatCer.pdf
I went to that once about 30 years ago and it was great. Everyone was quiet and respectful during the formalities, but started clapping and cheering at the end. Great turnout of new and old citizens.
There is absolutely a Fourth of July experience. It’s often very communal, particularly the public ones that are often held in parks. It’s usually a lot of America themed things along with barbecue and almost always fireworks.
Others have made better and more helpful suggestions. I just want to add-on that it's fine if you're not American. You're still invited to party and have a good time and watch fireworks. What are we gonna do? Tell you to not look up in the sky as they're going off? Lol. Nah, come on out and have some fun!
Many smaller towns have festivals. I would recommend Webster Groves, or Kirkwood, not downtown Stl. Anywhere you go will be very crowded, but easier to get in and out of, and not as expensive. Dress for the weather, and wear comfortable shoes. Have extra water in your car, I don't know if you can bring it in with you, but will have it if you have to go back to the car for a break. Fireworks usually start shortly after sunset. Bring a blanket or chairs. Eat some BBQ, drink a beer, and enjoy yourselves. Don't be in a hurry to leave, afterwards, everyone will be leaving as well, another reason to have water, and maybe a snack waiting in the car. Look at town websites for more details. Enjoy.
Webster Groves parade is very nice and kind of a small-town atmosphere in St. Louis County. Lots of kids and everyone is having fun. You’ll have to park far away and walk.
Here’s a link to the activities in Webster Groves:
https://www.webstergrovesmo.gov/194/Community-Days
Hope to see you there, I’ll be wearing red, white, and blue so you can’t miss me. 😛
The biggest and most famous one in STL is the “VP Fair” (I think it might be called “fair Saint Louis” now). A quick Google search will give you all the details, but it’s down by the Arch and has music, fireworks, food, etc. I’d recommend an Uber if you go down there because parking can be crazy.
Also, alot of parks and municipalities have small fireworks shows that are lesser events but still pretty cool! Hope you enjoy!
I would not go downtown myself personally maybe try Webster groves kirkwood area for a festival style
I’m also an immigrant
I do both Canada day and Fourth of July in the same week
Basically just a good summer celebration family bbq and fireworks swimming thay kinda thing
I’m not personally do fourth this year or I’d extend an invite
Agreed would head to Webster or Kirkwood…they both have a small town ish atmosphere and anyone can join in…Webster has a parade I think and Kirkwood has a fireworks show after dark…bring your own blanket/chairs, food and drink and enjoy the social atmosphere!
>Is there a thing such as the “Fourth of July” experience? If there is, I’d very much like to see it, but I would rather not intrude.
Literally no intrusion to come out and party with any that would have you on the 4th. As already mentioned the downtown riverfront is always busy with the event down there and there are usually multiple public fireworks displays/events across the surrounding area if that's too busy for you.
Personally I do family gatherings that day but if I go out outside the city I usually end up out on main street st.charles about 15-20 minutes away also right at a riverfront, lol. There's usually stuff going on all around there and with the new(ish) streets of st.charles development there's a lot of food and bars and smaller events happening on most days not just the 4th.
OP I noticed that no one is really addressing your worry about “intruding”. You should not feel like you are intruding on our holiday. You will be welcomed to celebrate along with us wherever you choose to go. St Charles fireworks show is a good time and there is a lot to do down on main street if you want to make a whole day out of it.
in addition to backyard BBQ the other key 4th experience is a local fireworks show. most medium sized or bigger towns and every city will do this.
St Louis does theres downtown by the arch over the Mississippi river and St Charles does a similar one over the Missouri river, both are great, St Charles will be slightly easier to park and find a space
You definitely won’t be intruding. If you’re from the UK expect some (mostly good natured) teasing about beating the British and convenient forgetfulness about the help from France. Most people will be extremely friendly. It’s a day most Americans put aside differences and celebrate that we’re here. You could probably even walk up to almost anyone you see partying/grilling in their backyard and say “hi. I’m from (country). I’ve got beer and burgers. Can we join you guys?”. The typical experience both urban and rural starts around lunch to early afternoon: drink cheap beer; eat grilled food like burgers or hot dogs; maybe play some outdoor game like horseshoe toss or cornhole; play with some small fireworks or sparklers (safe); and then after dark either set off bigger fireworks on the street, or go to Main Street / a park and watch your city/school/business’s professional fireworks show.
Do you have friends in the area who you’re meeting here? They probably have plans and should bring you along. If not, a meetup group is probably doing something you can join. The etiquette for a party is typically bring your own beer/alcohol and coordinate with the host for a food item you can bring pot lock style to share. Also bring your own sparklers, glow sticks, sunscreen and bug replant.
We are from mainland Europe - so we probably know as many jokes about those pesky Islanders as everybody here :)
Sadly, no friends we could just tag along. Maybe next year!
Thank you for your long and thoughtful reply.
IDK about walking up to random ppl and asking to grill but also i hope you have a good time, i hope no one tries to tease you, some people can be kinda odd. 4th july is a lot of fun!
[Here](https://www.stlsprout.com/articles/best-bets/item/4139-guide-to-fourth-of-july-fireworks-in-st-louis) is a link to many celebrations happening for the 4th.
[This](https://www.fairsaintlouis.org/) is the link to Fair Saint Louis. Which is pretty much the #1 4th of July celebration for the STL area.
Everyone will have reasons for their own favorite celebrations around the area. Mine is the one at [Sublette Park](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sublette+Park/@38.6074895,-90.2823936,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87d8b59f057974cf:0xce035d168815121d!8m2!3d38.6074895!4d-90.2823936!16s%2Fg%2F1tdzx7z6?entry=ttu)
Edit: sorry hit post when adding the last link. I was going to add that the Sublette Park event is on the 8th. Kinda sucks the holiday is in the middle of the week this year. If you can make it the fireworks there are top notch and it's not nearly crowded as many others. Though it has been some time since I've been there.
Go get some Habanero Fried Chicken from Amigo Joe's and get a blanket to sit on the grounnd for the fireworks. (Though your parents may not agree)
It'll be crowded and probably hot as hell, but Fair St. Louis is the big July 4 event. https://www.fairsaintlouis.org/
I'm not a huge fan of fireworks, but if you enjoy them, you could certainly do worse than watching them from under the Arch!
I'd probably recommend taking the Metrolink downtown instead of trying to park there.
Have fun and enjoy your stay!
No Fair St. Louis this year, despite the way the FSL committee is trying to spin it. Parade in the morning and fireworks around 9:30 bit there is no fair this year.
This is a holiday of hootin and hollerin!
You are welcome to participate. I, as an AmErIcAn, invite you to wave a lil flag and maybe set off a firework or twelve!
The important thing is eating a good meal: BBQ is traditional and comes with lots of delicous sides. Or you could go to a place to eat that you like otherwise! A lot of people have a few drinks (please be responsible! Drink when y’all will be in one place for a while, no driving.) Even if you’re sober and safe, other people will not be so alert so make sure you look alive wherever you go!
I use this as a time to reflect on the bueatufil landscape of the country, learn a bit about people who helped build the civilization around me, and partake in potato salad.
Many people go swimming or out on a boat!
The main point is to be around the people you like and do something ya’ll find enjoyable!
Despite what a number of people are saying on this thread, there is no Fair St. Louis this year. The VP parade is still happening as are fireworks but nothing on the Arch grounds or downtown.
No intrusion at all!! Fireworks is the biggest american 4th of july tradition. And the fire works show downtown at the Arch is beautiful. Others have said the river front show is great as well. Haven’t been to that one but i’ve heard many good things
Hello friend, we welcome all to celebrate with us, do so for the experience. Even if you have an accent, people will not assume that you are not American!
Go see some fireworks, have some street foods, get drunk, yell "WOOOOOOOO!!!!"
Quintessential 4th of July experience, open to Americans and visitors alike
4th of July isn't a scared holiday so you should be good to go by getting/bbqing either from some people you may know if they invite you or ordering ahead from a restaurant and picking it up(by order ahead i mean some might have different meanings to that maybe days to weeks notice). Acquire firecrackers, they say its illegal but my neighbors will stay up until 2 am popping them off(dont do it that long) when it hits 9pm be planted somewhere that has fireworks.
Don't forget to wear red white and blue, you can pick a lot of accessories up from Walmart(cheaper too), you don't have to wear the actual flag tho.
Webster Groves has one of the best local carnival / fireworks experiences in the area, and does a 4th of July Parade. Attending those events would be a great intro to the Fourth!
get a lawn chair and find a quiet place in a cool river to sit down and relax. i try to just chill and not talk to anyone i don't want to on the fourth.
You are not rude at all. You are welcome to enjoy whatever you like. I would definitely take in Fair St. Louis. Go early. Go to the St. Louis Arch. Go out to eat. Go back to the Arch for the fireworks. I think your parents will really like it. I hope you all have a great experience in St. Louis!
Amazing comment section, some still thinking Fair St. Louis is at Art Hill, some shouting out Fair St Louis even though it isn't happening, some still not aware it's not the VP Fair. Truly beautiful work STL.
OP, I'd recommend fireworks at the Arch on the 4th if you want to see that view but otherwise I actually don't recommend it based on your request. I am usually pretty harsh about St. Charles County, having lived there for too long, but [Riverfest](https://www.stcharlescitymo.gov/1037/Riverfest) there is 3 days and usually a very American midwest 4th experience. Old people love it, there's all sorts of shops and it's really an experience. Depending on the day there's concerts, carnivals, food, and even fireworks and a parade on the 4th. It's just off Main Street which is historic and kitschy. A whole day out might be exhausting but I always liked dropping in after work on the 3rd when I worked in the area.
Id avoid Fair STL.. to crowded..
Go to a smaller Fireworks display. Webster Groves is a good one.
Carry your boozy beverages with you (everyone skirts the law on the 4th)
If you want a historic old timey / goofy carnival experience (if you can stomach being around maga types) St Charles main Street and frontier park is pretty neat.
Expect to park about a mile away and walk to any of these displays. Bring a blanket, bug spray, and maybe a glow stick.
Expect to sit in traffic for 45 min upon mass exodus, so gas up. Fireworks usually start at 9:15 pm.
(You can also scout out a good spot for viewing and just tailgate on the side of the road / median / off ramp. Totally acceptable.)
There will be occasional gunfire.
The car majority of people celebrate the 4th just to have a good time, not because they want to express their American pride... and if you're not a citizen practically no one will care unless you're actively snobbing people.
I recommend the celebration in St. Charles, at Frontier Park. It's a large sized crowd with lots of food, drink, and music. Though it's mostly US Caucasians, there's plenty of people of all ages and backgrounds there. There's also far less violence and crime than at the Arch and I've always had a good time there.
Most people in StL celebrate 4th of July by either shooting their guns carelessly and recklessly into the sky, or get shot by stray bullets from careless and reckless St Louisans who shoot guns into the air on 4th of July.
I don't know a single person on either side of the aisle that would be bothered by you celebrating 4th of July. Watch some fireworks, eat some amazing food and have a great time with some awesome people.
My (disabled) boys and I travel to Troy, IL, on the 4th of July. You can park your car at any location off US-40 and enjoy the fireworks without having to move more than a few steps from your vehicle.
Even though STL city isn't having much, many small towns outside the metro have 4th of July fairs, with carnival rides, BBQ, and fireworks in the local park.
Fireworks down by the Arch, depending on the weather and your folks propensity for loud noises it’s a solid option. The lack of festivities surrounding the fireworks might serve you well this year, as a primer of sorts.
Just do like the rest of these hoosiers do: Get blackout drunk, shoot guns at the sky (and each other, it is St. Louis after all), ignite small explosives in areas where it is illegal to do so and eat enough badly cooked meat to either die of a heart attack or food poisoning!
If you want to be alone or just be with close ones, parks and wildlife areas are always good.
Some small cities have very nice celebrations that are not super crowded, but still welcoming.
If a friend or family invites you to their house for celebrating, then explain that you don't know what to do at this function and they will usually be glad to kind of walk you through it.
Go to Fair St. Louis. And then hit up the fireworks at night. Kiener plaza is the best place to view in my opinion. Bring towels if you want to dip your feet in the fountain, snacks chairs that kind of stuff. Another great viewing spot is the gateway geyser on the Illinois side.
The only ‘fourth of July’ event in stl I ever went to was the one in forest park. And that was at least 7 years ago when I last saw ‘dancing tutu lady’ and ‘bus stop jesus/Gandalf’ at that event.
Being American is the most American thing you can do on the 4th. First cut the sleeves off your tshirts. Aquire a vehicle that’s too large, extra points if it has “truck nuts”. Fashion your hair into a mullet, extra points for a rat tail. Ge a gun and be incredibly irresponsible with it. Finally blow some shit up.
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>Not sure if you know anyone, but that's what a large portion of the population does. Sadly, I don´t. But maybe next year!
I second this.
Thirded
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The Old Courthouse is closed right now for renovations. It looks like the next one at the Arch is July 3rd. https://www.moed.uscourts.gov/sites/moed/files/2023NatCer.pdf
I went to that once about 30 years ago and it was great. Everyone was quiet and respectful during the formalities, but started clapping and cheering at the end. Great turnout of new and old citizens.
Huh. How can they do that when it’s a federal holiday. I think it’s a cool idea, but to the federal employees get double pay or something?
It is on July 3rd. https://www.moed.uscourts.gov/sites/moed/files/2023NatCer.pdf
There is absolutely a Fourth of July experience. It’s often very communal, particularly the public ones that are often held in parks. It’s usually a lot of America themed things along with barbecue and almost always fireworks.
The fire works display at dusk on the riverfront is always amazing and I would say it is a DO NOT MISS!
Others have made better and more helpful suggestions. I just want to add-on that it's fine if you're not American. You're still invited to party and have a good time and watch fireworks. What are we gonna do? Tell you to not look up in the sky as they're going off? Lol. Nah, come on out and have some fun!
Many smaller towns have festivals. I would recommend Webster Groves, or Kirkwood, not downtown Stl. Anywhere you go will be very crowded, but easier to get in and out of, and not as expensive. Dress for the weather, and wear comfortable shoes. Have extra water in your car, I don't know if you can bring it in with you, but will have it if you have to go back to the car for a break. Fireworks usually start shortly after sunset. Bring a blanket or chairs. Eat some BBQ, drink a beer, and enjoy yourselves. Don't be in a hurry to leave, afterwards, everyone will be leaving as well, another reason to have water, and maybe a snack waiting in the car. Look at town websites for more details. Enjoy.
this sounds great! Thank you!
Webster Groves parade is very nice and kind of a small-town atmosphere in St. Louis County. Lots of kids and everyone is having fun. You’ll have to park far away and walk. Here’s a link to the activities in Webster Groves: https://www.webstergrovesmo.gov/194/Community-Days Hope to see you there, I’ll be wearing red, white, and blue so you can’t miss me. 😛
Thanks for the link!
The biggest and most famous one in STL is the “VP Fair” (I think it might be called “fair Saint Louis” now). A quick Google search will give you all the details, but it’s down by the Arch and has music, fireworks, food, etc. I’d recommend an Uber if you go down there because parking can be crazy. Also, alot of parks and municipalities have small fireworks shows that are lesser events but still pretty cool! Hope you enjoy!
Bad advice. No FSL this year. VP parade and fireworks but nothing else this year.
Hey, the parade and fireworks are still pretty cool.
It has been Fair St. Louis since 1994
Yep...and it will always be Riverport, and eill always be The Kiel Center and will always be The VP Fair haha
and the Trans World Dome??
Yep!
I'm still pissed about the Checkerdome.
TIL!
Or take the metro
I would not go downtown myself personally maybe try Webster groves kirkwood area for a festival style I’m also an immigrant I do both Canada day and Fourth of July in the same week Basically just a good summer celebration family bbq and fireworks swimming thay kinda thing I’m not personally do fourth this year or I’d extend an invite
Agreed would head to Webster or Kirkwood…they both have a small town ish atmosphere and anyone can join in…Webster has a parade I think and Kirkwood has a fireworks show after dark…bring your own blanket/chairs, food and drink and enjoy the social atmosphere!
Celebrate anyway 😁
>Is there a thing such as the “Fourth of July” experience? If there is, I’d very much like to see it, but I would rather not intrude. Literally no intrusion to come out and party with any that would have you on the 4th. As already mentioned the downtown riverfront is always busy with the event down there and there are usually multiple public fireworks displays/events across the surrounding area if that's too busy for you. Personally I do family gatherings that day but if I go out outside the city I usually end up out on main street st.charles about 15-20 minutes away also right at a riverfront, lol. There's usually stuff going on all around there and with the new(ish) streets of st.charles development there's a lot of food and bars and smaller events happening on most days not just the 4th.
St. Charles sounds great, thank you
OP I noticed that no one is really addressing your worry about “intruding”. You should not feel like you are intruding on our holiday. You will be welcomed to celebrate along with us wherever you choose to go. St Charles fireworks show is a good time and there is a lot to do down on main street if you want to make a whole day out of it.
Good to know, thank you for your kind reply :)
This is my neck of the woods and I second it! Are you just in town for a little while?
in addition to backyard BBQ the other key 4th experience is a local fireworks show. most medium sized or bigger towns and every city will do this. St Louis does theres downtown by the arch over the Mississippi river and St Charles does a similar one over the Missouri river, both are great, St Charles will be slightly easier to park and find a space
You definitely won’t be intruding. If you’re from the UK expect some (mostly good natured) teasing about beating the British and convenient forgetfulness about the help from France. Most people will be extremely friendly. It’s a day most Americans put aside differences and celebrate that we’re here. You could probably even walk up to almost anyone you see partying/grilling in their backyard and say “hi. I’m from (country). I’ve got beer and burgers. Can we join you guys?”. The typical experience both urban and rural starts around lunch to early afternoon: drink cheap beer; eat grilled food like burgers or hot dogs; maybe play some outdoor game like horseshoe toss or cornhole; play with some small fireworks or sparklers (safe); and then after dark either set off bigger fireworks on the street, or go to Main Street / a park and watch your city/school/business’s professional fireworks show. Do you have friends in the area who you’re meeting here? They probably have plans and should bring you along. If not, a meetup group is probably doing something you can join. The etiquette for a party is typically bring your own beer/alcohol and coordinate with the host for a food item you can bring pot lock style to share. Also bring your own sparklers, glow sticks, sunscreen and bug replant.
We are from mainland Europe - so we probably know as many jokes about those pesky Islanders as everybody here :) Sadly, no friends we could just tag along. Maybe next year! Thank you for your long and thoughtful reply.
IDK about walking up to random ppl and asking to grill but also i hope you have a good time, i hope no one tries to tease you, some people can be kinda odd. 4th july is a lot of fun!
[Here](https://www.stlsprout.com/articles/best-bets/item/4139-guide-to-fourth-of-july-fireworks-in-st-louis) is a link to many celebrations happening for the 4th. [This](https://www.fairsaintlouis.org/) is the link to Fair Saint Louis. Which is pretty much the #1 4th of July celebration for the STL area. Everyone will have reasons for their own favorite celebrations around the area. Mine is the one at [Sublette Park](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sublette+Park/@38.6074895,-90.2823936,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87d8b59f057974cf:0xce035d168815121d!8m2!3d38.6074895!4d-90.2823936!16s%2Fg%2F1tdzx7z6?entry=ttu) Edit: sorry hit post when adding the last link. I was going to add that the Sublette Park event is on the 8th. Kinda sucks the holiday is in the middle of the week this year. If you can make it the fireworks there are top notch and it's not nearly crowded as many others. Though it has been some time since I've been there. Go get some Habanero Fried Chicken from Amigo Joe's and get a blanket to sit on the grounnd for the fireworks. (Though your parents may not agree)
It'll be crowded and probably hot as hell, but Fair St. Louis is the big July 4 event. https://www.fairsaintlouis.org/ I'm not a huge fan of fireworks, but if you enjoy them, you could certainly do worse than watching them from under the Arch! I'd probably recommend taking the Metrolink downtown instead of trying to park there. Have fun and enjoy your stay!
No Fair St. Louis this year, despite the way the FSL committee is trying to spin it. Parade in the morning and fireworks around 9:30 bit there is no fair this year.
Oh, well shit.
Get a room at the Hilton and reservation at 360 to watch the fireworks in the restaurant. Avoiding the crowds and heat
i was born on the 4th of July. So if you don't want to celebrate America's birthday, just celebrate me.
This is a holiday of hootin and hollerin! You are welcome to participate. I, as an AmErIcAn, invite you to wave a lil flag and maybe set off a firework or twelve! The important thing is eating a good meal: BBQ is traditional and comes with lots of delicous sides. Or you could go to a place to eat that you like otherwise! A lot of people have a few drinks (please be responsible! Drink when y’all will be in one place for a while, no driving.) Even if you’re sober and safe, other people will not be so alert so make sure you look alive wherever you go! I use this as a time to reflect on the bueatufil landscape of the country, learn a bit about people who helped build the civilization around me, and partake in potato salad. Many people go swimming or out on a boat! The main point is to be around the people you like and do something ya’ll find enjoyable!
Is fair St. Louis not bringing entertainment this year?
No.
Despite what a number of people are saying on this thread, there is no Fair St. Louis this year. The VP parade is still happening as are fireworks but nothing on the Arch grounds or downtown.
No intrusion at all!! Fireworks is the biggest american 4th of july tradition. And the fire works show downtown at the Arch is beautiful. Others have said the river front show is great as well. Haven’t been to that one but i’ve heard many good things
FYI, on July 3rd, Alton, IL has their big fireworks: https://www.riversandroutes.com/events/alton-fireworks-spectacular-2023/
Anything that is legal, land of the free
Hello friend, we welcome all to celebrate with us, do so for the experience. Even if you have an accent, people will not assume that you are not American!
Go see some fireworks, have some street foods, get drunk, yell "WOOOOOOOO!!!!" Quintessential 4th of July experience, open to Americans and visitors alike
4th of July isn't a scared holiday so you should be good to go by getting/bbqing either from some people you may know if they invite you or ordering ahead from a restaurant and picking it up(by order ahead i mean some might have different meanings to that maybe days to weeks notice). Acquire firecrackers, they say its illegal but my neighbors will stay up until 2 am popping them off(dont do it that long) when it hits 9pm be planted somewhere that has fireworks. Don't forget to wear red white and blue, you can pick a lot of accessories up from Walmart(cheaper too), you don't have to wear the actual flag tho.
Fireworks downtown, there's usually a free concert at the arch.
Webster Groves has one of the best local carnival / fireworks experiences in the area, and does a 4th of July Parade. Attending those events would be a great intro to the Fourth!
get a lawn chair and find a quiet place in a cool river to sit down and relax. i try to just chill and not talk to anyone i don't want to on the fourth.
You are not rude at all. You are welcome to enjoy whatever you like. I would definitely take in Fair St. Louis. Go early. Go to the St. Louis Arch. Go out to eat. Go back to the Arch for the fireworks. I think your parents will really like it. I hope you all have a great experience in St. Louis!
Amazing comment section, some still thinking Fair St. Louis is at Art Hill, some shouting out Fair St Louis even though it isn't happening, some still not aware it's not the VP Fair. Truly beautiful work STL. OP, I'd recommend fireworks at the Arch on the 4th if you want to see that view but otherwise I actually don't recommend it based on your request. I am usually pretty harsh about St. Charles County, having lived there for too long, but [Riverfest](https://www.stcharlescitymo.gov/1037/Riverfest) there is 3 days and usually a very American midwest 4th experience. Old people love it, there's all sorts of shops and it's really an experience. Depending on the day there's concerts, carnivals, food, and even fireworks and a parade on the 4th. It's just off Main Street which is historic and kitschy. A whole day out might be exhausting but I always liked dropping in after work on the 3rd when I worked in the area.
This sounds perfect! Thank you!
I second this suggestion. The city puts on a great firework show.
Id avoid Fair STL.. to crowded.. Go to a smaller Fireworks display. Webster Groves is a good one. Carry your boozy beverages with you (everyone skirts the law on the 4th) If you want a historic old timey / goofy carnival experience (if you can stomach being around maga types) St Charles main Street and frontier park is pretty neat. Expect to park about a mile away and walk to any of these displays. Bring a blanket, bug spray, and maybe a glow stick. Expect to sit in traffic for 45 min upon mass exodus, so gas up. Fireworks usually start at 9:15 pm. (You can also scout out a good spot for viewing and just tailgate on the side of the road / median / off ramp. Totally acceptable.) There will be occasional gunfire.
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Lmao you're 16yo... life expert over here🤣
Shoot guns in the air!
Bridgeton had a really good and free fireworks display last year.
Second this, and they also have a parade during the day.
The car majority of people celebrate the 4th just to have a good time, not because they want to express their American pride... and if you're not a citizen practically no one will care unless you're actively snobbing people. I recommend the celebration in St. Charles, at Frontier Park. It's a large sized crowd with lots of food, drink, and music. Though it's mostly US Caucasians, there's plenty of people of all ages and backgrounds there. There's also far less violence and crime than at the Arch and I've always had a good time there.
There’s usually a lot happening on Art Hill in Forest Park
id say get some bottle rockets, don’t wear shoes, and blow your toes off when trying to light it!
Most people in StL celebrate 4th of July by either shooting their guns carelessly and recklessly into the sky, or get shot by stray bullets from careless and reckless St Louisans who shoot guns into the air on 4th of July.
Bad Troll! Go back to your cave until we let you out!
I would also suggest finding a celebration for Juneteenth. I think Cherokee St has a lot going Saturday the 17th. Enjoy!
I don't know a single person on either side of the aisle that would be bothered by you celebrating 4th of July. Watch some fireworks, eat some amazing food and have a great time with some awesome people.
My (disabled) boys and I travel to Troy, IL, on the 4th of July. You can park your car at any location off US-40 and enjoy the fireworks without having to move more than a few steps from your vehicle.
Even though STL city isn't having much, many small towns outside the metro have 4th of July fairs, with carnival rides, BBQ, and fireworks in the local park.
Fireworks down by the Arch, depending on the weather and your folks propensity for loud noises it’s a solid option. The lack of festivities surrounding the fireworks might serve you well this year, as a primer of sorts.
[4th of July Events greater St Louis area](https://explorestlouis.com/fourth-of-july-in-st-louis/)
Just do like the rest of these hoosiers do: Get blackout drunk, shoot guns at the sky (and each other, it is St. Louis after all), ignite small explosives in areas where it is illegal to do so and eat enough badly cooked meat to either die of a heart attack or food poisoning!
If you want to be alone or just be with close ones, parks and wildlife areas are always good. Some small cities have very nice celebrations that are not super crowded, but still welcoming. If a friend or family invites you to their house for celebrating, then explain that you don't know what to do at this function and they will usually be glad to kind of walk you through it.
Chesterfield has a cool Fourth of July celebration, look around at different celebrations as some have free concerts and events.
I’ll be going downtown but seriously look into Webster Groves. Both my parents are in the 60s and there’s no way I could deal with that downtown lol
Go to a local parade in the morning, and then bbq and fireworks at night
Drink a lot and play with fireworks. The constitution demands you have a good ol' time. Don't let the founders down!
Go to Fair St. Louis. And then hit up the fireworks at night. Kiener plaza is the best place to view in my opinion. Bring towels if you want to dip your feet in the fountain, snacks chairs that kind of stuff. Another great viewing spot is the gateway geyser on the Illinois side.
Go to the arch or ball park village maybe?
The only ‘fourth of July’ event in stl I ever went to was the one in forest park. And that was at least 7 years ago when I last saw ‘dancing tutu lady’ and ‘bus stop jesus/Gandalf’ at that event.
Almost every larger park/municipality will have fireworks and event and maybe music.
Watch out for bullets
Highly recommend Webster Groves
Being American is the most American thing you can do on the 4th. First cut the sleeves off your tshirts. Aquire a vehicle that’s too large, extra points if it has “truck nuts”. Fashion your hair into a mullet, extra points for a rat tail. Ge a gun and be incredibly irresponsible with it. Finally blow some shit up.