Fun Things to Do

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You’ll find the rich cultural life of St. Joseph expressed in such hallmarks as the St. Joseph Symphony and the Performing Arts Association(PAA). The symphony features a professional orchestra with a full season of symphonic and band concerts, while PAA presents a variety of theater, music and dance productions, showcasing talent from around the world.

Robidoux Resident Theatre (RRT) is an organization that focuses on professional quality theater productions with the spirit of volunteerism. RRT is known for its quality productions throughout Northwest Missouri. RRT performs at both the Missouri Theatre and the Robidoux Landing Playhouse.  Smaller and more intimate than most typical venues, the Robidoux Landing Playhouse is perfect for making the audience feel like part of the performance.

The Allied Arts Council, St. Joseph’s umbrella arts organization, can provide the information you need to partake in an enjoyable cultural experience. The Allied Arts Council exists “to bring arts and people together.” Founded in 1963, the Council is one of the oldest in the State of Missouri and is acknowledged statewide as an arts leader.

Museums

St. Joseph’s 13 museums feature a variety of collections ranging from world-class art exhibits and historic medical practices to transportation and native animals.

The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art houses one of the finest collections of American art in the Midwest at 2818 Frederick Ave. The St. Joseph Historical Society operates
Robidoux Row Museum, once home to town founder Joseph Robidoux at Third and Poulin streets.

The Pony Express Museum is dedicated to the romantic, yet short-lived, mail service at 914 Penn St. The St. Joseph Museum boasts an impressive collection of Native American artifacts and the Glore Psychiatric Museum uses interactive displays to illustrate the evolution of treatment for mental illness. Both are located at 3406 Frederick Ave.

The Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph is situated along the beautiful Missouri River. The Nature Center allows those who walk through its doors to witness how nature has changed as civilization evolved from 10,000 BC to the turn of the 20th century at 1502 MacArthur Drive.

Festivals

Fairs and festivals add fun and flavor to St. Joseph with several annual events held throughout the year. Celebrate spring as you watch the floats pass by at the Apple Blossom Parade in May. Attend TRAILS WEST!®  in August and you’ll see why it is considered Northwest Missouri’s premier arts festival. Meet some real-life cowboys at the Southside Fall Festival & Rodeo in September, and view Great Pumpkin Mountain during the family-friendly Pumpkinfest each October. There are so many events in St. Joseph, you are sure to find things to do all year long.

Indoor Facilities

The Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Centerfeatures a multi-purpose room, stage, cafeteria and dining room (lunch served to the public Tuesday through Friday), six pool tables, craft and meeting rooms, woodshop, television area, conference rooms, fitness center, library, audio-visual room, lobby and reception area, and an elevator from the parking lot below. The building is totally accessible at 100 South 10th St.

The contemporary design of the St. Joseph Civic Arena includes flexible seating that accommodates any type of event. With superb acoustics and lighting, plus a clear view of activities from all locations, there is not a bad seat in the house. The arena boasts 19,000 square feet of unobstructed exhibit space or performing surface, along with seating for 2,300 people. A total of 40,000 square feet of exhibit space is available at 100 North Fourth St.

The Missouri Theatreis a 1,200-seat, restored 1927 movie theater. This architectural gem, located in the heart of Downtown, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to many of St. Joseph’s arts organizations at 717 Edmond St.

Shopping

With a retail trade market of about 300,000, St. Joseph offers the vast majority of retail amenities found in major metropolitan areas without the hassle of metropolitan congestion.

St. Joseph features two major retail destinations in The Shoppes at North Village and East Hills Shopping Center, with national retailers like JC Penney, Sears, Target, Old Navy, TJ. Maxx, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Super Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and a stadium cinema.

In St. Joseph you can still find those entrepreneurial retailers that specialize in unique quality merchandise and individualized service at stores like Leibowitz Menswear or Creviston & Son Jewelers.

St. Joseph offers a broad array of restaurants, from the large national chains like Applebee’s and Buffalo Wild Wings, to the unique Cajun food found in the historic Downtown location at Boudreaux’s, to the array of friendly neighborhood bar and grills like the Hi-Ho.

Downtown St. Joseph is a unique concentration of boutiques, specialty shops, restaurants, antique stores and nightclubs. Some of St. Joseph’s interesting browsing can be enjoyed in its most historic and renovated areas located at Felix and Francis streets from Fifth to Eighth streets.

Locally-grown produce, flowers and homemade foods are available at St. Joseph area Farmers’ Markets, which are open seasonally on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at East Ridge Village, on Frederick Boulevard near Interstate 29.

Casinos

The St. Jo Frontier Casino is your hometown-winning place to play. The riverside entertainment complex features a buffet restaurant; The Bougainvillea Cafe, Buffet, Lounge & Bar; meeting rooms for special events; and the casino. Enjoy authentic Vegas-style gaming at blackjack, craps, stud poker, roulette tables, and hundreds of slot machines at 777 Winners Circle.
Golden Eagle Casino is across the Missouri River. Besides gaming, the facility offers entertainment options. The casino, operated by the Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas, regularly brings in nationally-recognized performers six miles west of Horton, Kan.