The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents a selection of more than 500 from the world’s premier growing regions. Celebrity chefs share their favorite recipes, while food specialists serve delicious samples. High-caliber and hard-to-find wines will be found in the VIP Reserve Room. VIP guests enjoy their wine sampling from a complimentary 18 oz. Riedel stem, along with the opportunity to savor a selection of catered foods and bid on extraordinary items. Proceeds benefit the education and community outreach programs of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

Held at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel.

Admission: $45; VIP, $95; Premier, $250. Event plus one night stay packages available. See Web site for details.

Trails West is one of the largest event in Northwest Missouri; rated in the top three by the Missouri Arts Council. The festivities include three days of fine art, folk art, dramatic stage performances, reenactments, musical entertainment and food for the whole family. Come experience St Joseph's unique cultural heritage and art works from across the Midwest. Held in Civic Center Park.

Hootin an Hollarin is a down home festival held on the streets around the Courthouse Square. There are arts and crafts booths; food venders; jammin' on the courthouse lawn; country and gospel music; a quilt show; a 5K run; square dancing; turkey shoots (archery and firearms); horseshoe pitching; outhouse racing; bed racing; games and contests for children; a pet show; costume parade; float parade; pie baking contest; and cow, hog, turkey and husband calling contests.

Thursday evening we crown the festival's queen. Other contests include: Li'l Addie Lee; Li'l Cedar Pete; Li'l Miss; Li'l Princess. All contestants, dressed in appropriate costumes, are interviewed on stage before winners are selected and crowned. Hootin and Hollarin is real country fun in the real Ozarks.

Experience the life styles of the early 1800s as reenactors from across the country converge on Fort Osage for their national gathering. A variety of activities will educate visitors in understanding how early explorers manage daily life. Special guided trail hikes will introduce guests to the flora and fauna of the region.

The Festival of African and African American Music will present an extraordinary variety of musical events celebrating composers and artists of African descent. The four-day festival features:

• Internationally-acclaimed performers and local artists
• Concerts, lecture-recitals and discussion forums with some of the foremost African heritage scholars
• The launch of new publications by Oxford University Press by William Chapman Nyaho and Fred Onovwerosuoke

Special Guests include: Nyaho-Garcia Piano Duo; Violinist Rachel Barton Pine; Pianists Silvia Belfiore and Darryl Hollister; Oboist Althea Ifeka; Flutist Wendy Hymes; Equinox Chamber Players; Musicians of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; the National Dance Troupe of Nigera; Winneba Youth Choir of Ghana; St. Louis Children's Choir; the Kirkwood Community College Choir.