Strassenfest History

The current German style Strassenfest (street festival) had it’s origins in a small sidewalk sale that was held in Columbia, Illinois by some of the local merchants in 1960. The following year, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce sponsored the event, adding food, drink and entertainment by the local Waterloo German Band. The event was named The Columbia Strassenfest and it was expanded to three blocks in length over a two day weekend.

In 1966, it was expanded to it’s current three day festival and moved to Turner park, when Gene Andres, the Columbia Jaycees, and two brothers, John and Jerry Hediger, also became involved in the festival. In 1968, with crowds exceeding 50,000, the Chamber of Commerce turned over sponsorship of the event to Turner’s organization.

By the end of the 1971 Strassenfest, Columbia officials were concerned over the increasing logistical difficulties. With the support of the St. Louis Stuttgart Sister City committee, Downtown St. Louis and the St. Louis Ambassadors, a committee was formed to bring the festival across the river. The St. Louis Strassenfest Corporation was established on May 9, 1972 as a non-profit group to run the festival.

The first St. Louis Strassenfest was held in 1972, on Wharf Street. The following year it was moved to Memorial Plaza, some six city blocks of wooded green space in front of the St. Louis City Hall where it remained until 1989. The popular summer festival moved to Westport in 1990 and then returned to Memorial Plaza the following year and continued at that location until 2007.

The 2008 Strassenfest was cancelled due to dwindling attendance, loss of revenue and highway 40 construction.

In 2009, Strassenfest was reborn in Chesterfield, MO with the support of City officials and local businesses and was a great success. It continues in Chesterfield on Chesterfield Parkway (between Lydia Hill Dr. and Burkhardt Place) behind Chesterfield Mall.