June 29, 2010 | 17 Comments

Getting Out and Getting Around Fair St. Louis July 4th Weekend

The Big Question: Where are you going to watch the fireworks??

The Mississippi River is flooding, and its waters have reached Lenore K. Sullivan Boulevard*.  But a little river water doesn’t stop the Fair and Fourth of July in St. Louis!  2010 marks the 30th anniversary of Fair St. Louis (formerly known as the Veiled Prophet**, or “V.P.”, Fair), and the weekend is packed with activities.  In addition to the Veiled Prophet Parade, Celebrate St. Louis Concert Series, and of course, fireworks, the Air Show is returning this year.

Harrier Jet - Back for Fair St. Louis Air Show (image via stltoday.com)

Fair St. Louis will be on the Gateway Arch grounds and Memorial Drive.  And while you are visiting the Riverfront, don’t forget to check out all the Core of Discovery activities, like catching an air-conditioned movie in the Museum of Westward Expansion under the Arch, or cool off in the Fountains at City Museum.

The Fair Saint Louis overall schedule of events:

Saturday, July 3, 2010
10 a.m.            133rd Veiled Prophet Parade
Noon                Festival and K-Town Kids Zone Open
Noon                Air show** (120 minutes)
3:15 p.m.         Mo E All-Stars
4:30 p.m.        Charles Glenn band
6:30 p.m.        Bradd Young & Aloha Mischeaux
8 p.m.              John Legend
9:15 p.m.         Fireworks
10 p.m.            Festival closes

Sunday, July 4, 2010
10:45 a.m.      Air Show ** (90 Minutes)
11 a.m.            Festival and K-Town Kids Zone Open
1 p.m.              Jordan Pruitt
3 p.m.              LOGOS
4:30 p.m.        Spontaneous Nugent
5:15 p.m.         Air show** (90 minutes)
8 p.m.              The B-52s
9:15 p.m.         Fireworks
10 p.m.             Festival closes

To accommodate the large crowds, Metro will be running extra MetroLink service and will have employee volunteers out on the alignment at select stations beginning at 5 p.m. both days to help people get on and off the train safely.

MetroLink

Saturday, July 3rd   & Sunday, July 4th – (DAYTIME)
MetroLink will operate every 15 minutes on the Red and Blue lines from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 3rd   & Sunday, July 4th – (EVENING)
MetroLink will operate every 12 minutes on the Red and Blue lines from 5:30 p.m. to 11:40 p.m.

MetroBus

Saturday, July 3rd – Parade Reroutes
MetroBus will operate on a regular Saturday schedule.  Bus routes serving downtown St. Louis will be rerouted from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on July 3rd, due to the closure of Market Street between Jefferson and Broadway.  Signs will be posted at affected bus stops.

Sunday, July 4th
MetroBus will operate on a regular Sunday schedule.

As always, be safe and have fun St. Louis! We’ll see you at the Fair!

(*STL Trivia Points: Lenore K. Sullivan was the Congresswoman from 1953-1977 who was instrumental in passing legislation for the construction of the Gateway Arch.)

(**The Veiled Prophet Parade and Ball were the brainchild of Charles Slayback, local businessman from New Orleans who created the Order of the Veiled Prophet to boost tourism and civic pride to the region after the Civil War.)

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Author:Courtney

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  • MIKE

    According to your article, it doesn’t appear any buses will be running on July 4th after the fireworks from downtown, east of Tucker Blvd., as Bi-State has done in the past. What a great system!

  • nA

    Courtney – Did you announce anywhere that July 5th, Metro was going to run on a Sunday schedule. I have seen July 3rd and July 4th flyers but not anything about July 5th. There was lot of confusion and frustration among riders who were waiting for buses on July 5th. Why was it not announced?

    • http://www.nextstopstl.org/ Courtney

      I’m not sure as to why, but we recognize it was a problem. Thanks for the feedback. It’s really important to hear this kind of reminder of what information really needs to get out to riders.

  • mike

    nA

    That was part of Metro’s same old policy: lack-luster bus and customer service, in spite of the $75,000,000 in new funding which has been made possible, as the result of a 1/2 cent increase in sales tax that we voters approved.

    • http://www.nextstopstl.org/ Courtney

      Feedback helps us improve, so again thank you for your comments about customer communication.

  • Mike

    Courtney,

    I’m not trying to be a difficult person to communicate with but I find your answer to be unacceptable. We are living in a world of great technical acheivements involved in the many modes of communication. The biggest obstacle is the failure to use these modes to communicate.

    I think the problem in failure to notify the public of Metro’s schedule on July 5th lies in Metro’s Planning Dept. Someone in their Dept. should have realized that Independence Day was actually being observed on the 5th. They are supposed to be the experts in that field They must have already been celebrating their holiday before the holiday schedule was posted.

    If Metro cannot recognize simple issues such as keeping the public informed on holiday schedule changes, how can we expect them to deal with major issues.

    Also, L have several comments from the past two weeks that are still awaiting “moderation”. When can I expect them to be posted?

    • http://www.nextstopstl.org/ Courtney

      July 5 is listed as an official holiday schedule day for 2010, and has been on the website since the beginning of 2010 and placed in buses and trains throughout the year, along with the other posted holiday schedules. Here is what the bus and train card looks like: http://metrostlouis.org/MetroBus/HolidaySchedule.pdf. It’s standard practice every year. It was good to get feedback on possible additional ways to alert the public, but I assure you it was not a problem of realizing when Independence Day would be observed. I will go back over comments for the last few weeks.

  • Mike

    Courtney,

    I didn’t pay much attention to your past websites regarding the Independence day schedule. I only went by your most recent update dated 6/29/10, which did not mention any schedule for July 5th. There could have been changes to the bus schedules, from your previous upgates. I only went by the most recent update.

    • http://www.nextstopstl.org/ Courtney

      Then that is my end, Mike, and you should be elbowing me about it, not planning. :) But your concerns are noted, and I’ll keep on top of these things.

  • Mike

    Thanks for your response Courtney. Judging from all the updates that you’ve posted and the many issues you’ve been having to deal with (and I haven’t been any help), you appear to be dealing with quite a burden, and I know you are giving it your all.

    Thank you for your efforts and hang in there. Have a great weekend.

  • JP

    Perhaps I am confused about the purpose of a blog. I did not know it was the responsibility of a blog to update people on the business end of Metro. I figured that was what the Metro website was for. This just seems to be an outlet for extra information that would only be transferred via news if it were important enough. I am actually grateful that someone has taken the initiative to inform the public on matters we would not normally hear about. If I have any questions in regard to scheduling, I just go to the official website and determine what information I need. So, Mike, I feel you are out of line with most of your posts when you decide to take out your frustration with Metro on someone who is actually helping inform the public. Her job is not to mediate the public issues with Metro. That is why there is a customer service department. I mean really, when you have a problem with a company such as McDonalds or Schnucks, do you go complain at their facebook page or do you actually try to make it known elsewhere. I guess my impression is that if you are truly frustrated by Metro, then you are going down the wrong avenue to be heard. Thank You Courtney for keeping us informed. Keep up the good work of doing that not someone elses job.

    • http://www.nextstopstl.org/ Courtney

      JP,

      Thank you for your thoughts. It is true that the main function of the blog is to educate and inform, to get out information to the public in a forum that is online, accessible and available for comment. I can find information, answer questions, relay comments and concerns, but the blog is primarily a communications tool. We do appreciate feedback, but also realize that we cannot fix everything, and that is not the function of the blog. For customer service related complaints, including planning department questions, it is still good to relay them to customerservice@metrostlouis.org; and bus and service restoration comments to Restoration2010@metrostlouis.org. On the blog we want to continue to bring you information and news about what’s going on around the system, what to expect, what’s going on locally related to transit and alternative transportation, etc. We still appreciate feedback, but do want this to be a positive environment where Metro customers can get info, share ideas, converse with each other, etc.

  • Mike

    JP,

    First of all, don’t single me out. Yes,I may have posted the majority of the comments, but I’m not the only one who have registered concerns regarding Metro’s policies.

    Second of all, it is true that the blog is set up to be informative, but when the blog asks for comments, it becomes an open forum. I think of the the comments posted by others reflects the same thought.

    I feel this Blog Has provided the primary channel, thus far, for airing out issues with Metro, and as long as I am a tax paying (including the additional 1/2 cent sales tax levied from Prop. A), American citizen, I will continue to do so.

    Good mourning Courtney,

    I do understand your position and I am not directing my conerns at you personally. I know you are not in power or position to make policy changes. My comments may be critical at times, but they have never been derogatory in nature.

    I think you are doing a great job at keeping us informed. Keep up the good work.

    • http://www.nextstopstl.org/ Courtney

      Public comment does help shape policy, Mike. Ideas are always welcome, and can lead to action. Bike parking is being installed in North Hanley thanks to commenter feedback. However, the blog is not for “airing out issues with Metro” unless it is constructive and conversational, as it is a forum for all customers, Metro employees, and industry peers. We do appreciate your feedback, and feel that the blog works best to help inform both customers and Metro when it is an a cooperative spirit.

  • Mike

    Courtney,

    I agree. I feel my issues have been constructive and practical. My concerns have not been just for myself, but for all Metro customers. If there is a special interest involved, it’s about making public transit easy to use, especially when there are also the physically handicapped, the elderly, pregnant women, women with children, etc, who use public transit.

    • http://www.nextstopstl.org/ Courtney

      I agree Mike. I look forward to your continued participation in the blog. We work best together to continuously improve public transit in the region.

  • Mike

    Thanks Courtney.

    That sounds like real “Transit Partnership”.