Places to Go, Things to Do

Black History at the Arch, Maple Sugar Festival

Black History Month activities will be featured all of February at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in downtown St. Louis. Among outdoor events this month will be the Maple Sugar Festival Rockwood Reservation.

There also will be events for kids during the Marde Gras festivities in the downtown Soulard area of St. Louis.

(Editor's note: For additional February activities and events, go back to the home page and read about activities at the St. Louis City and County libraries and their branches.)

Every month, Young Saint Louis.com looks for events and activities that kids and their families might like to attend during the current month. YSL.com is particularly on the lookout for events with either free or cheap admission.

Black History Month at the Arch

There will be Black History Month events throughout February at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in downtown St. Louis. That includes both the Arch and the Old Courthouse.

For information on specific events, call (314) 655-1700 or visit the website at www.gatewayarch.com.

Events include reenactments, storytelling, concerts and films. Among the reenactments will be ones dealing with the Dred Scott court case and the underground railway flight of blacks from the South.

Maple Sugar Festival at Rockwoods

The MDC's Rockwoods Reservation in western St. Louis County will host a Maple Sugar Festival on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. No reservations are needed and admission is free.

The Maple Sugar Festival is an early reminder that spring is on the way, regardless of what the weather is outside in early February. The sap already is running freely inside the maple trees.

Visitors can visit Rockwoods grove of sugar maples to see how sap is gathered. Then, they can adjourn to the "sugar shack" where the sap is boiled to produce the homemade syrup that goes so well with breakfast pancakes.

Of course, there will be sweet samples for everyone.

There's even a chance to learn how to identify maple trees in your backyard and to learn how to tap the sap and make your own syrup.

In addition, there will be two maple sugaring activities for home-school kids on two Wednesdays, Feb. 10 and 17.

Reservations are needed for home-school teachers and kids if they come to the Feb. 10 or 17 classes. Call (636) 458-2236.

St. Louis Boat and Sportshow

The St. Louis Boat and Sportshow will be held Wednesday through Sunday, Feb. 10-14, at the Edward Jones Dome in downtown St. Louis. Admission is free for kids 12 and under.

For information, check www.stlouisboatshow.com.

This is another winter activity that shows the promise of spring. There is the latest in boating equipment along with lots of information for outdoor vacations.

The Muny's Children's choir auditions

Kids can try out for choir spots for The Muny's 2010 season on Saturday, Feb. 20, and Sunday, Feb. 21. The auditions are at Saint Louis University High.

Auditions for kids 7-13 will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Auditions for kids 14-18 will be from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday.

For information or to sign up, check www.muny.org.

Marde Gras events at Soulard

Kids with pets get a head start on Marde Gras activities with the 17th annual Beggin Pet Parade and "Tail" gate party. It will be held Sunday, Feb. 7, in the Soulard area at the corner of Menard and Allen.

Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

The parade is at l p.m. The annual PetsMart Weiner Dog Derby starts at 2 p.m.

The Marde Gras River City Grand Parade will be the feature during the main activity on Saturday, Feb. 13, in the Soulard neighborhood. The parade starts at 11 a.m.

For information on the Marde Gras activities, please call (314) 771-5110 or you can visit www.stlouismardigras.com.

Saint Louis Symphony's Young People Concerts

The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra this month will hold two Young People concerts for kids in Grades 4-6. The first is on Thursday, Feb. 18, and the other on Tuesday, Feb. 23 from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

For information, call 800-232-1880 or visit www.slso.org.

Pieces to be played are Greig's "Pere Gynt," Rauch's "Mother Goose Suite" and Badalt's "Pirates of the Caribbean."

A 2-part Orienteering class

Kids and their families will have two chances to get involved in the neat outdoor activity of orienteering this month at the Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles County.

The first event is Saturday, Feb. 20, at 1 p.m. Then, there is a night event on Saturday, Feb. 27, starting at 9 p.m.

This two-part activity involves finding your way with help of a compass and maps in the daytime and with additional help of flashlights and laser pointers at night.

Naturalists will be on hand to give preliminary instructions and to help when you're in the field.

For information and signup, call (636) 441-4554. Reservations begin Feb. 1.

Sweetheart Figure Skating competition

The public is invited to view for ISI Sweetheart Figure Skating Competition Friday through Sunday, Feb. 5-7, at the Kennedy Recreation Complex in North County.

For hours and information, call (314) 615-5572.

A "Sensational Animals" series

A new Sensational Animals series of classes for young kids will start Tuesday, Feb. 2, at the MDC's Forest Park office. The series will be on the first Tuesday of each month through May.

The class is from 10 a.m. to noon.

The series will investigate the different senses wild animals use to learn about their world in which they live. The class will include an interactive activity, game and/or take home craft.

Kids can sign up for one or all of the classes. For information or reservations, call (314) 877-1309.