Places to Go, Things to Do

Lewis&Clark, storytelling, kids fishing and more

The month of May has a bunch of neat participation events for St. Louis area kids. The Lewis&Clark reenactment group will be on the move from Camp DuBois, Ill., to St. Charles, Mo., during the month.

The departure events from both Camp DuBois and Hartford, Ill., are from May 13-16. Then, arrival events at St. Charles are from May 14-23.

One great first-of-season outdoor events is the annual Kids' Fishing Day on May 15 at the Busch Conservation Area in St. Charles County. There are all sorts of how-to-do instructors available.

Other activities include:

• The 25th annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival from Wednesday, May 5, through Saturday, May 8. There are several storytelling venues around St. Louis.
  
  
• The annual Kids Day at the Cahokia Mounds State Historical Site in Illinois will be Sunday, May 23.
  
  
• The St. Louis County Parks have three beginning fishing lessons set for Suson Park in South St. Louis County. They are on Wednesdays, May 5, 12 and 19, beginning at 6 p.m.
  
  
• The first of several special Kids Ride bicycle tours will be held Sunday, May 16, beginning at Hartford, Ill. The rides are sponsored by Trailnet, Inc.

(Details for the Lewis&Clark departure activities at Camp DuBois and the Trailnet Kids Ride bicycle tours are covered in full stories in this edition. Check the home page Lewis&Clark and Bike Riding stories.)

Lewis&Clark Departure and Arrival

The original Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery exploration began from St. Louis on May 14, 1804. And 200 years later, a reenactment team will depart from Camp DuBois on the same day.

The original L&C group next stopped at St. Charles where they spent time getting all their provisions for their exploration. That trip up the Missouri River and to the Pacific Ocean took two years before they got back to the St. Louis area.

The reenactors will follow the same schedule and route before returning in 2006.

To check departure events at Camp DuBois and Hartford, Ill., see the Camp DuBois article in this edition. Just click here for the camp story and event sidebar.

For the schedule of the St. Charles arrival events, check out www.lewisandclark.net.

Kids Fishing Day on May 15

The Kids Fishing Day at the Busch Conservation area teaches kids an activity they'll enjoy all their lives.

The event is open to kids 15 years of age and under. It will be on Saturday, May 15. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. No reservations are needed.

There are conservation agents and volunteers available to instruct kids in all sorts of fishing activities. They include fishing techniques, tackle craft, ethics and aquatic ecology.

And after the lessons, there's plenty of time for trying to catch fish in Lakes 1, 2 and 15.

Kids are urged to bring their own tackle and bait. But, there are a limited number of "loaner" poles available on a first come, first served basis.

For directions or further information, call (636) 441-4554.

Annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival

Dozens of storytellers, both professional and amateur, will be on hand for the 25th annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival. It runs from May 5 through 8th.

There's even a Youth Storytelling concert set for Saturday, May 8, at the Gateway Arch. That event starts at 10 a.m.

For the complete schedule, see www.umsl.edu/~conted/storyfes/

Cahokia Mounds Kids' Day

The highlight of the May calendar at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is Kids' Day. The special event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 23.

The historic site was the location of the largest Indian mound community in the United States. There's a neat Indian museum to explain the significance of the Cahokia Mounds development.

All sorts of hands-on activities, crafts, games and dancing are available for kids and their families.

For a complete schedule, see www.cahokiamounds.com.

St. Louis County has kid fishing classes

The St. Louis County Parks Department can help you get started in fishing. In May, department agents will sponsor three beginning fishing lessons at Suson Park in South St. Louis County.

The evening classes will be on Wednesdays, May 5, 12 and 19. The classes start at 6 p.m.

The lessons are open to kids from 7-14. The kids will get instruction from experienced anglers. The county provides "loaner" fishing tackle and has set aside a stocked lake just for use of the kids.

Reservations are required. Call (636) 391-FISH.