Local STL Events Held for Students, Teachers to Enjoy This Winter
The first week back from winter break, both students and teachers alike have been counting down the hours until the weekend, where they will be able to take some much-needed rest and do something fun. While watching Netflix was great entertainment all winter break, there are events happening every weekend in St. Louis for students and staff to enjoy. Take a look at what’s going on this weekend in the St. Louis.
Located in Forest Park, Steinberg Skating Rink is a hot spot for both a group of friends or for a date. The outdoor skating rink is open from 10 a.m. until midnight on Saturdays through Feb, 23. Admission to the rink is $7 and skate rentals are $6, although people can bring their own skates. The rink accepts cash only, but there is an ATM available to use. Admission is valid for the entire day, and the rink also has a cafe where snacks and drinks can be purchased.
“I’ve been ice skating there before,” said junior Danielle Schneider, “I think it’s a fun place to go during the winter.”
Another outdoor activity students and teachers may enjoy is skiing and tubing. Hidden Valley, located in Wildwood, provides both beginner and expert skiers and snowboarders a place to try new moves. They also have a snow tubing hill with 8 lanes. Tickets range from $30-$48 and rentals are available. Hidden Valley is open Monday-Thursday 1 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., Friday from 1 p.m. – 1 a.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-1 a.m., and Sunday 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
If you are looking for a festival or one-time activity, St. Louis has many celebration during the winter time. This weekend, there are several Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations happening including one at the History Museum. This event is free and will include music by Dre Hilton, stories of inspiration from the civil rights movement, and a chance to create art projects related to encouraging peace.
Another event this weekend takes is the 12th annual Loop Ice Carnival will be held in the Delmar Loop. The carnival will be going on from Saturday Jan 14, 10 a.m. until midnight. There will be ice sculptures, a ferris wheel, jugglers, a zipline, game booths, a cannoli eating contest, a human dog sled race, an ice slide, stilt walkers, fire jugglers, fire eaters and more. Admission is free, but rides on the zipline and ferris wheel cost $10 and $5 respectively.
While the carnival has been going on for twelve years, some students are going for the first time this weekend, “I haven’t been before,” said senior Anna Rickard, “I just saw it online and thought it would be a fun thing to go to.”
If something a little quieter and indoors is better for you, then check out the Humans of St. Louis photo exhibition at the Regional Arts Commission, which is also located off of Delmar Blvd. The exhibit features some photos and stories taken of citizens of Saint Louis, by citizens of Saint Louis. Based off of Humans of New York, the exhibit tells the unknown stories of random citizens of STL. The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. The exhibit opened in December and runs through Feb. 4.
Another way to beat the winter weather with a quieter activity inside is to visit the Missouri Botanical Gardens’ Climatron located in South City where the average temperature is 64-85 degrees year around depending on which section you visit. More than 2800 plants from different parts of the world grow in the Climatron which is a giant greenhouse. The gardens are open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Entrance to the Climatron is included with admission to the botanical gardens. Admission is $4 for St. Louis City and County residents with proof of residency and free on Saturday mornings before noon.
by Lauren Sparks, editor-in-chief