Celebrate St. Charles’ Sister Cities this spring at Midwest Maifest and the Missouri River Irish Fest. These festivals raise money for their respective Sister City’s student and adult exchange programs. These festivals support two Sister City programs with Ludwigsburg, Germany and Inishowen, Ireland where schools from both partner with schools in St. Charles to do an annual two week long exchange.
The St. Charles Sister Cities program began in 1994 as a way to cultivate a relationship through different social, cultural, business, and educational exchanges between cities from around the world. Sister Cities are chosen based on a shared characteristic(s) like geography, heritage, and size. For example, Ludwigsburg is similar in size to St. Charles and it’s close to Stuttgart, a Sister City of St. Louis. Inishowen is quite the opposite as it’s a rural community, but it’s similar to St. Charles because it gets overlooked by foreign tourists wanting to visit big cities like Dublin (and for St. Charles, New York City and Los Angeles in the United States) even though it is a fun destination spot.
Midwest Maifest
Organized by the German St. Charles Sister Cities Chapter, this German festival is on May 9th from 2 PM to 6 PM in New Town St. Charles. “This event maintains the visibility of German heritage within the community, reminding people of the impact that Germans had on St. Charles’ history,” St. Charles-Ludwigsburg Sister Cities President, Mary Johnson said.
It begins with the hoisting of the maibaum, a tall, colorful pole with symbols, shields, long ribbons, and a wreath attached to it. The maibaum symbolizes the fruitfulness and the reawakening of spring. This free event features food vendors, artisans, and live entertainment, although a ticket must be purchased in order to sample different craft beers, wines, and spirits on hand (ticket information coming soon). “There’s a special energy in the air,” Johnson said. “Live music is played on the Main Stage 99% of the time and when the band needs a break, other entertainment groups step in. There’s no lull in the excitement.”
Missouri River Irish Fest
To get a taste of Inishowen, celebrate all things Irish at the Irish St. Charles Sister City Chapter’s Missouri River Irish Fest. From May 22nd through the 24th, don green and head to the Lewis & Clark Boathouse and Museum parking lot along the Missouri River for the festival. Listen to live music, take the kids to the Wee Folk Village for crafts and inflatables, shop at the retail and food vendors, learn something new in the Irish Cultural exhibit, and even visit an Irish pub for whiskey and Fire Farms tastings, pub contests, and Guinness Perfect Pour. “We want to share the beauty and experiences of Inishowen and Irish culture with the people of St. Charles,” representative of the Irish Sister Cities Chapter, Carla O’Dell said. “Our goal is to have a lot of ‘craic’ which is Irish for ‘good fun.’”
The Missouri River Irish Fest raises funds for the student exchange with Inishowen, Ireland. This Sister City has sweeping views of lush meadows and the vast Atlantic Ocean in the Northern part of Ireland, much different than the views here. “To see the change in the students after the exchange program is amazing,” O’Dell said. “The opportunity to study abroad for two weeks opens their eyes to a different culture. They leave changed and many stay in touch with their host families for the rest of their lives.”
Celebrate St. Charles’ heritage and Sister Cities this May at Midwest Maifest and the Missouri River Irish Fest.