2nd Annual Beacon Festival to present new artists' faces in surprising place.
Tickets go on sale today for the 2nd annual Beacon Festival, a string of arts and culture related events kicking off on May 30th, culminating on Monday, June 6th. The Festival, produced by the non-profit regional news organization, the St. Louis Beacon, is designed to take guests to unusual places for experiences highlighting some of the region's fascinating cultural treasures.
The Beacon Festival was launched in 2010 to connect readers and friends to such experiences in interesting places and with fascinating companions. This year's Festival includes a visit inside a world-famous tomb; a virtuoso performance in an artist's loft; a reading by a St. Louis author in a book-filled West End mansion; and music ranging from America's great Gospel tradition to the favorites of the operatic repertory.
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"The festival we've planned for 2011 carries on last year's tradition -- and adds new pleasures for the senses," says Bob Duffy, Beacon associate editor and producer of the Beacon Festival. "We've made ticket prices for events more affordable, and several of the presentations are free. We are looking forward to welcoming new faces as well as old friends. And we are pretty certain everyone will have good times in places they probably haven't been before."
The week of events kicks off with a Memorial Day brunch served up in one of the region's most beautiful private gardens following the Beacon-sponsored University City Library Memorial Day Race. Food for the gala is to be cooked up provided by Winslow's Home & Farm.
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Other events not previously mentioned include an in-progress view and discussion of the new Mississippi River bridge and historic Eads Bridge; and a look inside the artistic process when a local artist brings his home studio to the gallery. A limited number of tickets are on sale now at 314-632-6121 or online at http://www.stlbeacon.org/festival. Tickets to the kickoff brunch start at $175. Tickets to all other events are $30. Multi-event passes are available. Full event descriptions are listed below.
The 2nd Annual Beacon Festival is sponsored in part by Act3, Six Row Brewing Company and St. Louis Public Radio.
Please Note: Locations and pricing vary for each event.
Schedule of events as of 5/4/11:
Beacon Festival Brunch - Monday, May 30th, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Individual tickets are $175 each for adults, $250 for sponsors and $10 for children under 12.
A Memorial Day brunch served up in one of the region's most beautiful gardens in one of America's premier private places. This fund-raiser follows the Beacon-sponsored University City Library Memorial Day Race. Winslow's Home & Farm is cooking up good food for us.
Metamorphosis - Tuesday, May 31st. Reception begins at 5:30 p.m.
Free.
Charles "Chip" Reay brings the magical eclecticism and controlled chaos of his home studio to the Bruno David Gallery in Grand Center.
Kathleen Finneran Reading - Wednesday, June 1st at noon.
Individual tickets: $30.
Washington University author-in-residence and Guggenheim Fellow Kathleen Finneran reads from recent work in Lucie and Anthony Garnett's magnificent book-filled mansion on Lindell Boulevard. A light lunch is provided.
Harpsichord Concert - Thursday, June 2nd at 5 p.m.
Individual tickets: $30 (Limited to 25 people).
Harpsichord virtuoso and collector Charles Metz performs music of the 17th and 18th century on four different instruments in his spacious and elegant downtown condominium. Wine and hors d'oeuvres follow the concert.
Eugene Mackey III on Louis Sullivan - Friday, June 3rd at 4 p.m.
Individual tickets: $30.
The renowned architect Gene Mackey discusses the importance of Louis Sullivan to St. Louis architecture in the Hotchkiss Chapel at Bellefontaine Cemetery followed by a special tour of Sullivan's Wainwright Tomb. Wine and hors d'oeuvres follow the talk.
Bridge Building - Saturday, June 4th at 10 a.m.
Individual tickets: $30.
Take in the spectacles of the in-progress Mississippi River bridge and the 19th century Eads Bridge and join in special discussions with a transportation department official, a journalist and a poet about both structures. Optional Lunch is available at an extra charge at Six Row Brew House, 3690 Forest Park Avenue
Sing Praises! - Sunday, June 5th at 10:30 a.m.
Free Event; $25 donation to the church suggested.
The Festival returns to New Sunny Mount Missionary Baptist Church for extraordinary Gospel singing.
A Little Lunch Music - Monday, June 6th at Noon
Free.
Operatic favorites sung by young stars of Opera Theatre of St. Louis's 2011 season
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About the St. Louis Beacon
The Beacon is a not-for-profit 501c3 organization founded by veteran St. Louis journalists to provide in-depth reporting, thoughtful analysis and discussion on news that matters in the St. Louis region. Publishing since April 2008, the Beacon covers politics, education, health, science, the economy, arts and lifestyle topics. The Beacon staff of 21 includes 16 journalists; more than 100 freelancers and other contributors also have been featured on the site. The Beacon's office is in the Nine Network of Public Media's building in the Grand Center neighborhood. In addition to working together on selected projects, the Beacon and the Nine Network of Public Media are jointly part of the Public Insight Network, which recruits sources throughout the region using online tools. The Beacon's Washington correspondent appears regularly on St. Louis Public Radio. In January, the Beacon begins a year-long partnership with Missouri History Museum to focus on the issue of class in the St. Louis region. For more information, please visit our website, www.stlbeacon.org.
*Description by St. Louis Beacon.