Local News

Festivities of Food and Entertainment

September 27, 2007

By Cara Newby

U.S. Cellular hosted its annual “Taste of St. Louis” festival last weekend on Sept. 21-23 by showcasing Macy’s Restaurant Row—30 of St. Louis’ upscale restaurants on downtown’s Market Street.

The admission was free, but festival-goers had to pay a fee ranging from $3.00 to $6.00 per booth to try the food. Restaurants such as Monarch, Mirasol, The Melting Pot, Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood, Simply Fondue, and Big V’s Burger Joint capitalized on the opportunity to advertise their specific delicacies.

Joel Schmaltz, local St. Louis resident, said: “I tried a BBQ sandwich from Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood. I’ve never had a BBQ sandwich with coleslaw on it before, and it was very good.”

This year’s festival also included The SoCo Music Experience and The Marketplace. Bands such as Lucero, The Radiators, Soul Asylum, Bowling for Soup, and Puddle of Mudd performed free concerts.

The Marketplace included some of St. Louis’ local and national businesses. Among the businesses represented were Bolivian Imports, Celtic Firestone, Ford, Aspen Spas, and Mexican Artisans and Guatemalan Crafts. Local St. Louis resident, Chad Goble said, “It was a great opportunity for people to see the cultural side of St. Louis, which they don't always have a chance to see.”

These businesses also offered original products for purchase and other promotional products for free. Schmaltz said: “I really enjoyed all the different cultural booths. You could buy neat trinkets and win prizes.”

The variety of restaurants and entertainment appealed to individual preferences. Summer Ratcliff, local St. Louis resident, said: “I liked the Simply Fondue restaurant. I really enjoy chocolate dipped desserts, and that’s what they had at the booth.”

The dates for next year’s “Taste of St. Louis” festival have not yet been announced. Schmaltz said, “I would go again next year, but I would bring more money so that I could try more of the food.”

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