This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

'Ballwin Days' Festivities Kick Off Friday

There's no shortage of quirky entertainment, live music and other fun offerings all happening this weekend.

From races for runners and bicyclists to fireworks, food, art and top-notch musical acts, the good times will roll today through Sunday during the 34th annual Ballwin Days Festival at Vlasis Park.

"We’ve got something going on almost every minute of this festival," said Jim Lieber, who co-chairs the event. "We think we’ve got something for everybody."

The live music should be particularly entertaining.

Find out what's happening in Ballwin-Ellisvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I’ve been with Ballwin Days 20 years," Lieber said. "This is one of the best music lineups that I remember."

The music starts at 6 p.m. tonight with classic rock purveyors the Real Macaws, a group with a sterling pedigree. The band features Michael Supe Granda, formerly with the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Terry Jones Rogers, who played with the Byrds, plus Scott Nienhaus and Tim Politte, past members of Acousticity and the Nicolette Larson Band. John Mondin, a member of the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young tribute band 4/20 and a former part of the Soulard Blues Band, will also play.

Find out what's happening in Ballwin-Ellisvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"They’re unbelievable," Lieber said. "They will put on a great show for us. They are just great musicians, and really committed to the music scene."

The headliners 7-10 p.m. Saturday night are the Well Hungarians, who have opened for the Charlie Daniels Band, Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney and Otis Day and the Knights, to name a few.

"The vocals with these guys are unbelievable," Lieber said. "They are serious musicians. Both these bands are not like doing it on the side garage bands. They play small venues, but they’re serious about their music."

The Well Hungarians mix originals with country, rock and classic rock covers ranging from the Charlie Daniels Band to Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd. They were recognized as the best country group of the year in 2004, 2005 and 2007 by the Riverfront Times.

"They were a great draw last year, and we expect the same this year," Lieber said.

There will also be polka music 3-7 p.m. Saturday in the Beer and Wine Garden.

Sunday’s blues-flavored lineup features the Rockin’ Jake Band with guests Rich McDonough and Alvin Jett 1-3 p.m. and the Jeremiah Johnson Band with the Sliders 4-6 p.m.

"Both of these bands – people will love them," Lieber said.

One of the goals for the festival this year was to add some pizzaz and upgrades.

"Ballwin Days had gotten a little stale," said Darryl Holman, the event’s other co-chairman. "It was kind of in the mode of a carnival you would’ve gone to 30 years ago."

While carnival rides, funnel cakes and cotton candy are fine, and will still be part of Ballwin Days, it was time to add features that people have come to expect from other festivals.

"They’re kind of looking for things like ‘Taste of St. Louis,’ a little bit more modern music, that kind of stuff," he said. "Our idea was to bring Ballwin Days into the 21st century, and make it a little more relevant."

For instance, Stray Rescue of St. Louis, the World Bird Sanctuary, and the Endangered Wolf Center will all have booths.

"We’re trying to get an ecological side to the festival as well," Holman said.

The bands represent a significant upgrade, as does the art garden.

"We actually have real artists coming in, doing work," Holman said. "We have an area for kids to do the same thing."

The kids area in general will be a happening place, with Radio Disney plus a few Disney characters leading the way.

"They have this road act that they send out," Holman said. "They have deejays, and they play music that kids like. They have a lot of contests, they have games, they have some really good giveaways – significant prizes. It adds a lot of energy, and kids like it."

One of the ways the Ballwin Days co-chairs have found to offer more is by soliciting underwriting support from local businesses. Renewal By Anderson sponsored Radio Disney, which comes with a pretty big price tag.

"The sponsors give us more bang for the buck," Holman said. "They’re part of the community, so we’re trying to help them too."

Ralph Pfremmer, owner of in Ballwin and a blues and bicycling enthusiast, was a big help spicing up Sunday’s lineup. He was instrumental in helping bring in the music acts, and he also set up the bike race. The race, with options for veteran and beginner riders, will be a mix of on-road and off-road, plus some obstacles.

"It should be something that’s real interesting to watch for the spectators, and quite a challenge for the bikers who are doing it," Holman said.

Sunday will also feature a small "Taste of Ballwin," with The Wolf Public House, Candicci’s and McAlister’s Deli all selling samples from their menus.

Several not for profit organizations will sell food as well. Three local Boy Scout troops will offer pizza, hot dogs, pulled pork, snow cones, pretzels, turkey legs and more. The Marquette Marching Band will sell kettle korn and frozen lemonade; the Metro West Firefighters will grill burgers, brats and pork steaks and the Aure Foundation will cook up gyros, chicken kabobs, egg rolls, crab rangoon and more.

The Rotary Club of West St. Louis County runs the Beer and Wine Garden while the Bonhomme Lions sell beer. The Ballwin Days Committee will have sports drink, water, soda, funnel cakes, and other tasty treats for sale.

The Beer and Wine Garden is another upgrade, with craft beers and wine by the glass available.

"It overlooks the lake in Vlasis Park, so it’s kind of a nice touch," Holman said.

In keeping with the festival’s community-minded and charitable emphasis, festival-goers can vote in the Pretty Baby Contest, with proceeds going to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. People vote by putting money in containers in front of baby pictures. At the end of the weekend, the baby who has accumulated the most money wins. The contest, a longtime feature of the festival, has raised approximately $63,000 since its inception, Lieber said.

No festival would be complete without carnival rides, and Ballwin Days will have 15 to 18 large rides, plus several kiddie rides. Among the most popular are the Ferris wheel, which Holman said was "really big and impressive," and the Super Shot, which takes riders high up and drops them fast before gradually slowing to the bottom.

Pat McDermott, who was a festival chairman from 2000 to 2010 and is still involved helping the organizers, said Ballwin Days has become a real tradition.

"You see a lot of people come back year after year," he said. "It’s a family festival."

McDermott, who has been coming to the festival since he was a youngster, said Ballwin Days is "the granddaddy of all festivals" as it celebrates its 34th year.

"Not too many festivals have been going that long," he said.

Ballwin Days is held today through Sunday at Vlasis Park, 14811 Manchester Road, Ballwin. Hours are 5-10:30 p.m. today, 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, and admission is free. Tickets for rides are $1 each, $20 for 22 tickets and $25 for 30 tickets. Most rides require two to three tickets.

The 5-mile race for runners and walkers starts at 7:30 a.m. Saturday – see the Ballwin Days Run site for more information. See the Ballwin Days Bike site for registration information.

A 15-minute fireworks display choreographed to music, presented by West County Nissan, closes the festival starting at 10 p.m. today and Saturday.

For more information about Ballwin Days, .

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Ballwin-Ellisville