Fair Saint Louis
{{Short description|Annual festival in St. Louis, Missouri}}
File:Fair Saint Louis in 2014.jpg
Fair St. Louis is an annual festival held during the United States Independence Day holiday in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, at the Gateway Arch National Park.{{Cite web |last=staff |first=Go! Magazine |title=Fair St. Louis 2019 schedule of events |url=https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/hotlist/fair-st-louis-2019-schedule-of-events/article_4f833893-31e6-5bd4-afdb-a86c6943f4ed.html |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=STLtoday.com |language=en}} It is funded by the Veiled Prophet Organization.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/archives/veiled-prophet-symbol-of-wealth-power-and-to-some-racism/collection_8076f8b4-98a5-5935-9b57-134bcda6068e.html|title=Veiled Prophet: Symbol of wealth, power and, to some, racism|first=Beth|last=O'Malley|website=Stltoday.com|access-date=6 November 2021}}
History
The event originally named "V.P. Fair" was a successor to the Veiled Prophet Parade,[https://www.newspapers.com/image/141691278 Jo Mannies, "Profits of Change: VP Fair Revises Name to Broaden Appeal," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 24, 1994, image 2 which began as a St. Louis civic celebration in 1878.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/574580669 "VP Order Noted for Its Anonymity," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 7, 1958, image 37] The first V.P. Fair took place in 1981.{{cite web | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/139679644/?terms=vp%20fair&match=1 | title=St. Louis Post-Dispatch 14 Jun 1981, page Page 1 }}
In September 1994, the name would be changed to Fair St Louis for subsequent years. "The name 'Fair St. Louis' is expected to be marketable to all parts of the country," said Craig Kaminer, a spokesman for the VP Fair Foundation in 1994. "The vision is to create for St. Louis what the Mardi Gras is for New Orleans."
"In addition," he said, "having the new name will send a positive message to those who have not supported the fair in the past . . . who have felt that the fair was not designed with them in mind." Kaminer said that the initials VP, for Veiled Prophet, "evoked images of the Veiled Prophet Ball and other related events that center around those of wealth and prominence.
David Harper, a member of the fair's minority relations committee, said that "The idea of Veiled Prophet is offensive to some people," noting that the VP association excluded blacks from membership until 1979.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/142491262 Amy Pray, "Fair for the Fourth," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 25, 1995, image 33]
The fair's first theme, in 2002, was "Many Colors, One Flag, One People."[https://stltoday.newspapers.com/image/142482867 Greg Jonsson, "Fair St. Louis Courts Blacks, Tries to Set Aside Its Past," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 4, 2002, image 9]
4th of July parade
Although this fair is held annually, it did not take place in person in July 2020. This was due to the on going Covid-19 pandemic. Instead they shifted it to be held virtually for the year.{{Cite web |title=Fair Saint Louis |url=https://www.fairsaintlouis.org/2020fslrecap/ |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=Fair Saint Louis |language=en-US}} It did return in person in 2021.{{Cite web |title=FAQs |url=https://www.fairsaintlouis.org/faq/ |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=Fair Saint Louis |language=en-US}}
Attendees and activities
The fair expects to see around 800,000–1,000,000 guests attending the fair. The fair offers food, drinks, live music, rides for kids, fireworks on some occasions, contest, and a picnic area with tables for their visitors.{{Cite web |last=Mannino |first=Fran |title=FAIR SAINT LOUIS: America's Biggest Birthday Party |url=https://www.timesnewspapers.com/southcountytimes/features/fair-saint-louis-americas-biggest-birthday-party/article_c92fce48-8360-561c-b855-98577b8d83e2.html |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=WKTimes LLC |language=en}}
See also
- Veiled Prophet Parade and Ball (complete history)
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Festivals in Greater St. Louis}}
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Category:Recurring events established in 1878
Category:Recurring events established in 1981