8 food & drink events to check out this month in the St. Louis area

Growing City Greens
Sept. 6 – 6 to 9 p.m., Wild Carrot, 3901 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, 618.694.4688, stlcitygreens.org
Show off your green garb while supporting your local green thumbs. Local beer and wine will fill your glasses while Farm Spirit STL provides the bites at this cocktail-style “green party” (think Diddy’s white parties, but in a different hue). Proceeds will go to expanding food access for all in the area. Tickets available online.

Schlafly Art Outside Festival
Sept. 8 – 5 to 9 p.m., Sept. 9 – 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sept. 10 – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Ave., Maplewood, 314.241.2337, schlafly.com
Over 60 local artists working in a wide variety of mediums fill the streets with their artwork. Jam to a new band every day – there’s 11 scheduled, including Rum Drum Ramblers, Red and Black Brass Band and Hillary Fitz Band. A mix of Schlafly’s summer and fall beers will be available throughout the fest as well as festival-style snacks like smoked chicken nachos and bratwurst. Free admission.

Sauce Food Truck Friday
Sept. 8 – 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Sept. 22 – 3 to 7 p.m., Tower Grove Park, 4501 Southwest Drive, St. Louis, 314.772.8004, saucefoodtruckfriday.com
Like tough choices? Tower Grove Park offers bites and sips from local food trucks on select Fridays this summer through early fall. More than 20 of our favorite trucks will be there and, luckily, you can’t go wrong with any of them. Free admission.

Taste of Black St. Louis
Sept. 8, 9 and 10 - noon to 9 p.m., Poelker and Kaufman Parks, Tucker Avenue between Pine and Market Streets, St. Louis, tasteofblackstl.com
Taste of Black St. Louis is a “multi-sensory experience” featuring live entertainment like DJs, a chef battle, shopping from local Black-owned vendors and artists and, of course, food. Many of the area’s top Black-owned restaurants and food trucks will be there including Fufu N’ Sauce, CC'S Vegan Spot SoulVeganlicious and Mighty Me. Free admission.

Hard-Pressed Cider Fest
Sept. 9 – noon to 5 p.m., Eckert’s Belleville Farm, 951 S. Green Mountain Road, 800.745.0513, eckerts.com
Eckert’s is kicking off the fall season with more than just cider. Guest chefs from around the area will create dishes using Eckert’s apples and cider, with free samples available plus food for purchase. Participating restaurants include Bowood by Niche, Chicken Scratch and Union Loafers Cafe and Bread Bakery. Sip a little cider, pick a few apples and enjoy the live music – whatever you think is right to start the season. Free admission.

Music at the Intersection
Sept. 9 and 10 – 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Grand Center Arts District, 3526 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.533.0367, musicattheintersection.org
With a stacked lineup of national and local blues, jazz, soul, hip-hop artists and more ready to take the stage in the Grand Center Arts District, this street fest takes the block party to a whole new level. Come early for a bite from the Sauce Magazine Food Truck Court, which will include familiar faces like Cajun Seduction, Farm Truk and Tuk Tuk Thai. Stay late for music acts throughout the night, all in celebration of St. Louis’s rich musical, cultural and artistic heritage. Tickets available online.

Pyromania
Sept. 16 – 2 to 10 p.m., Cedar Lake Cellars, 11008 Schreckengast Road, Wright City, 636.745.9500, pyromaniastlouis.com
If you’re sad the Fourth of July is over and New Year’s Eve can’t come soon enough, this is an event for you. Cedar Lake Cellars partnered with Pyrotechnics Co. to create a two-hour choreographed and musical firework experience. Snag a snack from one of the food trucks then grab a glass of wine from the winery. Close out your summer with a bang! Tickets available online.

Pere Marquette Apple Festival
Sept. 17 – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pere Marquette Lodge, 13653 Lodge Blvd., Grafton, 618.786.2331, pmlodge.net
Craving apples at the turn of the season? Just a hop across the river will get you to the annual Apple Festival in Grafton. Festivities will be plentiful, from apple wine tastings to apple pie walks (like a cake walk but with pies). But it’s not just about apples: At the end of the day, you can decorate a pumpkin then race it down the hill in front of the lodge; the winner will receive a free night’s stay. Free admission.