By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
St. Joseph celebrates Missouri’s 200th birthday this weekend with the Steam to S.T.E.A.M. festival at Civic Center Park on the south side of City Hall.
The festival features food, music, and inter-active exhibits taking a look back to when the steamboat ruled the Missouri River and a look forward to what S.T.E.A.M. might bring us; that is, science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
The Director of the Missouri Western Office of Applied Learning, Mike Ducey, says arts fit with the rest better than you might think.
“There are aspects of the arts that employ mathematical principles to develop the artwork that they present,” Ducey tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “In fact, there are a lot of pieces of works of art on the Missouri Western campus that highlight that, just as an example.”
It begins Friday evening at five o’clock and run until nine that evening. It picks up at 10 o’clock Saturday morning and, again, wraps up at 9pm.
Kathy Reno with the Allied Arts Council of St. Joseph says the festival will feature St. Joseph businesses with unconventional exhibits, such as one by Hillyard.
“Since Hillyard’s known for basketball, (Hillyard is) going to have their basketball hoop set up, one of the old-fashioned kind, and show how they did that gym floor finish,” Reno says.
The S.T.E.A.M. Activity and Innovation Zone provides an interactive experience for kids and adults alike, including such activities from creating shaving cream art to playing a game of giant Jenga.
Reno says local musicians will be performing throughout the festival.
“And we’ve asked all the artists to talk about the history behind whatever song they play; how does it relate to our theme? So, to celebrate all things Missouri and all things St. Joe is our goal.”
Reno with the Allied Arts Council says the festival will mix information with food and fun.
“We’re going to celebrate Missouri’s birthday and we’re going to have a little barbecue, because it’s not a festival without barbecue, and a few other things,” Reno says. “We tried to bring together a mix of local cuisine. So, you can try that, too.”
The St. Joseph 2021: From Steam to S.T.E.A.M. festival begins Friday evening at five o’clock at Civic Center Park, locating on the south side of St. Joseph City Hall, 1100 Frederick Avenue. It runs Friday from 5pm to 9pm and Saturday 10am to 9pm. It is free and open to the public.
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