Holding a map noting the locations of more than 160 artists, I subdue my FOMO instinct and determine to just begin at one end of the Publish Marketplace and see how much I get. It’s a cold December day in St. Louis, and the shops, bars, galleries and community areas acting as venues for among the largest print sales in the Midwest offer reprieve from the cool. (A well-timed snack and beverage at all-natural wine bar ‘Ssippi also do their part, but I won’t locate that out till later on.) I snoop a vintages shop, The Bricoleur, on the western end of Cherokee Road, and tip within.
The initial musician I chat with is a beginner herself: Hannah Weck, a student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She went to the Fair a couple of times with her bro (also an exhibitor) in the past and took the plunge on her own table this year, partly because she had actually stocked so much work. Work-related danger for art trainees, I expect, and likewise a great tip of what this occasion stands for– an extremely varied proving of various printmaking, open to veterans and dabblers alike.
Pete Holohan, a frequent individual together with his partner and fellow musician, Lillian Stephen, relishes that high quality. “That’s the whole romantic allure of printmaking,” he states. “It’s an autonomous medium. It’s what initially enabled folks in the merchant class to finally bring art into their homes.” His hand-carved woodblock alleviation prints and hand-set letterpress packaging tell the tale. “I’m totally in deep with the traditional way of printing,” he states with a laugh.
As I make my means down the road, there’s so much to take in. At The Golden Document, 2 tales include buyers and rows of art– the lavish and slightly ominous vegetation and animals of Lauren Marx, the brilliant and vibrant pops of Keely J Art’s cubist portraits. Various other places carve out an edge for a single supplier, like Fond Printed Item’ cards and covering paper put right into classic sanctuary City Mouse. At Earthbound Beer, folks clamor five-deep to browse Dan Zettwoch’s unbelievably layered and info-rich prints. (Pro tip: For the rest of 2024, you can obtain a Zettwoch piece supplied to your door for the cost of an Imo’s pizza; he created their 60th wedding anniversary box.).
As high as the art, Cherokee Street itself has a kind of raw magic, thanks to its collection of areas. Long-established Black and Latin American citizens share space with startups, artist’ collectives and vintages stores. That’s part of what’s propelled me greater than a mile on foot– jabbing right into a bar in a lock-and-key store I have actually never seen or bordering previous tarot decks and crystals for a better check out a hand-printed zine of fairytale for grownups. There’s a pleased hum in the air, spilling from every door.
And for me, it’s only the beginning of a weekend break packed with holiday celebrations spread throughout the metro. When sunset falls, I head back to my vehicle, hands growing cold in the night air. Yet I can’t pack them in my pockets– they contain all the prints I bought today.
How to Spend a Holiday Weekend in St. Louis.
What to Do.
Among the Publish Marketplace’s thrills is that it doubles as a shopping excursion of Cherokee Road. Find throwback strings at Assassin Vintage; rarities and essential vinyl at Dead Wax Records; and Tee shirts, totes, posters and Xmas “arnaments” (a nod to the local accent) at STL Stylehouse. The Marketplace likewise accompanies the Cherokee Antique Row Cookie Spree, a 40-year-old event for sugared-up kids and heirloom-browsing collectors alike.
If you still have presents to check off the list, think about a detour to Clayton, a small city west of St. Louis (however well within the metro area) with a cute midtown. Emphasizes include Ylang jewelers for designer knickknacks; eternally hip Lusso for gifts and home touches; and The Regular Brand, owned by three regular-dude siblings, for incredibly wearable hoodies, vests and button-downs.
In St. Louis correct, services display joyful winter scenes during the Central West End Home Window Stroll. You can see them anytime, yet Saturdays bring carolers, cart trips, live songs, ice carvings and more. The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, on the side of Woodland Park and the Washington University university, showcases American and European art from the past 300 years. An exhibit that runs through January 6 explores substantial neighborhood style from the 1930s through the 1970s.
Where to Consume.
A selection of taquerías on Cherokee Street uses tacos stuffed with points like tripe and squash blossoms; there’s additionally a Mexican panadería selling warm churros and fruit empanadas. Breakfast at The Mud Home is a need to: attempt the Mud Slinger, a hearty pile of black bean chili, roasted potatoes and sunny-side up eggs. Duck into Saturn Lounge for a swanky alcoholic drink, smoked wings and whatever owner and audiophile Doug Morgan carries the turntable. Simply a few minutes’ drive away, Soup Sundays bring next-door neighbors to Civil Life Brewing Business, home to several of the city’s finest craft beers. Combine a pint with among the homemade soups, fresh-baked Union Loafers bread or a Friend Cooking pretzel.At City Foundry STL in Midtown, a repurposed electrical motor shop homes virtually 20 food vendors. If you notice a traffic signal radiating amidst the white ones outside, that suggests solution is open at None of the Above, a below ground speakeasy putting mixtures like fatwashed bourbon. It’s the creation of James Beard Prize-winning chef Gerard Craft (who additionally simply opened up Expat BBQ aboveground). No sneaking about is required at Deli Divine, a standard Jewish delicatessens near Forest Park with an adjacent present market, or at neighborhood feeling Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Ice Cream, featuring boozy as well as unleaded micro-batch gelato.
If you’re going shopping in Clayton, start your engines at City Coffee and Creperie– or swing by lunchtime for a ham-and-Brie baguette. At night, publication a table at Akar, where chef-owner Bernie Lee’s supper menu draws from his Malaysian upbringing and comprehensive journeys: Beginners like Taiwanese pickled cabbage and lobster rangoon established the stage for Oriental herb-braised short rib, gnocchi with Malaysian curry and outstanding Thai drunken noodles with shrimp.
Where to Remain.
Downtown hotels are a great wager for fast access to Cherokee Road and Midtown. Opened up in 2023, 21c Gallery Hotel St. Louis completely reimagined a historical 10-story, Renaissance Revival-style YMCA. (Don’t miss the retro swimming pool or the art gallery in the previous gym.) There’s plenty to see both around the St. Louis Union Terminal Hotel: Grand Hall is a soaring architectural marvel (check out the murmuring archway!) and a few of the city’s finest tourist attractions– like the St. Louis Aquarium and a 200-foot-high monitoring wheel– are just past the lobby. In Clayton, Le Meridien Resort sets a sophisticated standard; take pleasure in warm alcoholic drinks and a rooftop curling rink at The Cabin pop-up bar.
