JEFFERSON CITY, MO, May 4, 2026 – St. Louis area state parks and historic sites have planned fun events for the entire family.

  • Thursday, May 16, 21, and 28, at 5:30 p.m. – Get Healthy through Gardening at Felix Vallé House State Historic Site.
    This eight-week hands-on gardening program includes a series of classes presented by the University of Missouri’s MU Extension program. Throughout the series, participants will discover the various health benefits of gardening, while learning how to create and maintain a fruit or vegetable garden of their own. Each class takes place in the backyard of the Felix Vallé House at 198 Merchant St. in Ste. Genevieve. Participants who attend at least six classes will have the option to take home a free small appliance of their choice during the July 2 class. Each class is limited to 15 people ages 17 and up. Register at icampmo.com.
    • May 14 – Introduction: Food for Growth. Let us introduce you to gardening and nutrition basics. This class will cover the ways in which we can use a home garden to help meet our nutritional needs.
    • May 21 – Garden Planning. Ready to start gardening but unsure where to place your raised beds and rows? This lesson will cover the essentials for setting up new gardens, as well as how to plan out an existing garden to make the most of your available space.
    • May 28 – Seeds: What’s on a Label? Learn how to decipher seed packed label information. This lesson will give you the tools to pick the vegetables that will work the best for your garden, and it will teach you how to effectively plant the seeds.
  • Saturday, May 16, at 8 a.m. – Hummingbird Migration at Meramec State Park.
    Tiny hummingbirds visit Missouri during the warmer months of the year, but do you know where they spend the rest of their time? Come learn about the life cycles of hummingbirds during this free program at the visitor center. Weather permitting, you will get to see hummingbirds up close as an expert bands them with tracking devices. This event is open to the public, and there is no need to register. Meet at the visitor center at 115 Meramec Park Drive in Sullivan.
  • Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Historical Children’s Festival at First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site.
    In conjunction with National Kids to Parks Day, come celebrate and kick up your heels at First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site during the return of the Historical Children’s Festival. Visitors are invited to live and play as children did in the 1820s, and hear stories about life in St. Charles when the first legislators were struggling to organize Missouri into statehood. Children can pick up a passport and journey through the 1820s while participating in hands-on activities to earn prizes. The event is free and open to the public, and there is no need to register. First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site is located at 200 S. Main St. in St. Charles.
  • Friday, May 22, at 2 p.m. – Outdoor Classroom: Butterflies at Washington State Park.
    Listen to a Native tale of how the butterflies came to be, discuss ways to support butterfly populations and plant milkweed seeds to take home with you. Meet at the campground amphitheater at 13041 State Highway 104, in De Soto.
  • Saturday, May 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Birds, Bees and Blossoms Fest at Robertsville State Park.
    Come to the day-use area to celebrate and discover Missouri's natural resources! This event will begin at    10 a.m. with a live owl program presented by the World Bird Sanctuary. The program will even include a flight demonstration! The festival portion of the event will go from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring arts and crafts tables, local vendors, nonprofit organizations and educational booths, all related to our native plants and wildlife. Admission is free and open to the public, and there is no need to register. For the safety of the birds, pets will not be allowed. The park is located at 902 State Park Drive in Robertsville.
  • Saturday, May 23, starting at 2 p.m. – Memorial Day at Washington State Park.
    Join the Washington State Park team as they remember the legacy of American veterans this Memorial Day weekend. All activities are free and open to the public. Registration is not required. The events take place at 13041 State Highway 104, De Soto.
    • 2 p.m. – Petroglyph Tour – Take a tour of the petroglyphs, the park’s history carved in stone. Learn about the Mississippian-era carvings, the culture and community that created them, and possible interpretations. Take a short stroll on a covered walkway with interpretive panels highlighting the cultural features.
    • 4 p.m. – Korean War Stories – Meet at the Korean War Memorial to view a display about the Korean War and learn more about that conflict. See letters written by soldiers to loved ones back home and hear stories of bravery. Make a poppy to take home with you as a memorial to those who have sacrificed their lives fighting for our nation. The memorial is located across the street from the interpretive center. It is situated on the 38th parallel, the circle of latitude that roughly marks the border between North and South Korea.
    • 7 p.m. – S’more and Campfire Stories – Sit around the fire, roast marshmallows and listen to stories of bravery in honor of Memorial Day. Meet at the campground entrance.

The primary source of funding for the state park system, is half of the dedicated constitutional tax of one-tenth-of-one-percent Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax. The tax provides about three-fourths of the division's budget for operation and development of state parks. All additional funding for Missouri's Division of State Parks comes from revenues generated in the state park system and some federal funds. For detailed information on any of these activities, please visit mostateparks.com/events. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri’s Division of State Parks is part of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

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