MLK Day events, trivia nights featured in this week’s metro-east calendar

Noon Friday, Jan. 12, is the deadline to appear in next week’s What’s Happening. We must receive your event in writing with a contact phone number for questions.

Submitted event info will be edited and run the week before the event date.

Send event info via email to lifestyle@bnd.com. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.

Events

▪ Community STEM Showcase — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. Saint Louis Science Center, 5050 Oakland Ave., St. Louis. The Saint Louis Science Center highlights the diversity found within the St. Louis area’s scientific community and introduce individuals to STEM fields they may not have considered previously. The free event features hands-on activities throughout the Science Center and interactions with STEM role models. slsc.org

▪ Martin Luther King Jr. annual Community Breakfast — 8-9:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 15. New Life in Christ Church, 689 Scott Troy Road, O’Fallon. Featuring speakers Fred Hatley, Rene Boyd and Mikaylah Brown. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at aftontickets.com. Presented by O’Fallon Metro East NAACP.

▪ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Program — 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 15. Mt. Joy Missionary Baptist Church, 327 Olive St., Edwardsville. Keynote speaker: David Goins, Mayor of Alton. Following the morning program, a service event will take place in the lower level of the church. For more information, please contact Paul Pitts at paul.pitts1944@gmail.com. Free and open to the public.

▪ St. Louis Blues Blood Drive — Noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. American Legion Post 365, 1022 Vandalia, Collinsville, and Old Bakery Beer Company, 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton. Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter sponsor code BLUES, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. Missouri locations also available. Donors will receive a free Blues Blood Drive T-shirt while supplies last.

▪ Town Hall Meeting — 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. City Hall, 255 S. Lincoln Ave., O’Fallon. Mayor Herb Roach hosts his 24th town hall meeting, which will cover these topics: What would you like to see go onto the old Southview Shopping area at Hwy. 50 and South Lincoln? What types of new construction have already been approved to start construction in 2024? How did O’Fallon fare against other Illinois communities in financial rating by S & P Financial Services? This is an excellent opportunity for citizens to come and give their recommendations on how they would like to see the Southview site developed before any types of plans are submitted.

Games

▪ Belleville/Swansea Moose Lodge Sunday Night Bingo — 6:30 p.m. Sundays. Belleville/Swansea Moose Lodge, 2425 N. Illinois St., Swansea. Games start at 6:30 p.m. Early Bird at 6:15 p.m. Cards sold at 5 p.m. Open to the public. Bring a canned good for one free card.

▪ Metro Cribbage Club — 12:30 p.m. Mondays. American Legion Post 365, 1022 Vandalia St., Collinsville. For more information, contact Yvonne Bright, 618-344-1521 or ybrightmail@gmail.com.

▪ Troy Senior Center Pokeno — 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. Wiesemeyer Building, 410 Wickliffe, Troy. Cash prizes, free to play, no RSVP required. 618-667-2022.

▪ Friends of the Old Millstadt Water Tower Trivia Night & Silent Auction — 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27. St. James Parish Center, 423 W. Madison St., Millstadt. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. CostL $120 per table of six to eight players (includes Survivor Round and mulligans). Heads/Tails and 50/50 drawing. Cash prizes to top three teams. BYO snacks and beverages. Beverages available. For info or reservations: 618-520-3623, 618-719-1911 or millstadttinman@gmail.com.

▪ St. Stephen Catholic Church Men’s Club Trivia Night — 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27. Voigt Hall, 901 S. Main St., Caseyville. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Cash prizes, 50/50 drawings, mulligans, free soft drinks and snacks. Draft beer, margaritas available for purchase. No outside alcohol please. Max of eight players per table. Cost: $15 per person. For reservations or info: 618-604-0600 or stygar7@yahoo.com.

▪ Friends of the Belleville Public Library Trivia Night — 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10. Althoff High School Heritage Hall, 5401 W. Main St., Belleville. Doors open at 6 p.m. Great trivia questions – read by MC Roger Schlueter – cash prizes, mulligans, silent auction and more. BYO snacks. Soda available for purchase; no alcohol will be sold. Cost: $15 per person with 6-10 players per table. Proceeds will be used to support the Belleville Public Library Children’s reading programs. For reservations: friendsofthebellevillelibrary@gmail.com (confirmation by return email).

Theater/Concerts

▪ Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration — 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15. Manchester United Methodist Church, 129 Woods Mill Road, Manchester, Missouri. Join us in celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as the St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus Young Artists and SLSO musicians take the stage, led by esteemed director Kevin McBeth, for an evening filled with inspiration and thoughtful reflection. Free and open to the public. No reservations required. slso.org

▪ St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra: SLSO Side-by-Side — 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20. Touhill Performing Arts Center, 1 Touhill Circle, St. Louis. Experience the moment when our YO musicians take the stage to perform with their St. Louis Symphony Orchestra counterparts in a side-by-side concert led by Leonard Slatkin, SLSO Conductor Laureate and founder of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. Slatkin leads the combined musicians through Johannes Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture followed by Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, which features narrator and Director of SLSO’s IN UNISON Chorus Kevin McBeth, then Jr. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s stirring Francesca da Rimini: Symphonic Fantasy after Dante brings the program to a powerful close. slso.org

▪ Musical Fables with Animation and Film — 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St., St. Louis. Music Director Stéphane Denève leads the SLSO in a feast for the ears and eyes in a program that combines aural and visual art. French animator Grégoire Pont conjures an entire visual world with animation projected during the first SLSO performances of Albert Roussel’s The Spider’s Feast. Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf is accompanied by the Academy Award-winning short film in a new reimagination of a concert hall staple.

Clubs & Support Groups

▪ Belleville ‘Sounds of Harmony’ Barbershop Chorus — 7-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Union United Methodist Church, 721 E. Main St., Belleville. Men of all ages who like to sing are encouraged to attend. For info: Bob at 618-566-8574 or email RLCearnal@gmail.com.

▪ Griefshare Weekly Grief Support Group — 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 23 thru April 23. Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 304 South St., Collinsville. Register at griefshare.org/groups/176845 or by calling 618-344-3145. There are no fees to participate. Childcare is available.

Food

▪ Waterloo VFW Post #6504 Fish Fry — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays. Waterloo VFW Post #6504, 406 Veterans Drive, Waterloo. Traditional Menu of cod, walleye, catfish, shrimp, chicken, chicken strips, hamburgers, fries, slaw, hush puppies, onion rings, fried green beans and fried mushrooms. Cash bar available. Dine-in or carryout. Credit/debit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-939-7999.

▪ O’Fallon Knights of Columbus & Ladies Auxiliary Fish Fry — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Fridays. Knights of Columbus Hall, 402 E. U.S. 50, O’Fallon. Traditional menu of cod, tilapia, catfish, hamburgers, hot dogs, pork steaks and several side dishes. Dine-in and carryout. Credit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-632-6229. facebook.com/KnightsOfColumbus4239

▪ Aviston Legion Fish Fry — 4:30-7 p.m. Fridays. American Legion Post 1239, 601 S. Clinton, Aviston. Cod (baked or fried), catfish, shrimp, hush puppies, chicken strips, fries, baked potato, slaw, applesauce. Dine-in and carryout. 618-228-7311. avistonlegion.com

▪ Okawville American Legion Fish Fry — 5-8 p.m. Fridays. American Legion Post 233, 205 N. Hanover St., Okawville. Dine in or carryout. Also serving lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday with a salad bar. Pizza made fresh and served every day. facebook.com/OkawvilleLegion

Reservation/Registration Required

▪ Virtual Saturday Morning Yoga — 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. Online via Zoom. Get fit and healthy when you join us for an energizing session of yoga. Registration required. glencarbonlibrary.org

▪ Beginner Knitting Group with Greta — 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays, Jan. 13 & 27. Glen Carbon Centennial Library, 198 S. Main St., Glen Carbon. Experience how easy it can be learning to knit through our structured, interactive, social knitting group. Perfect for true beginners or those looking for an easy refresh project. Different intermediate skills will be introduced on a project by project basis. For more info and registration: glencarbonlibrary.org.

▪ Art Exploration with Greta — 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. Glen Carbon Centennial Library, 198 S. Main St., Glen Carbon. Each month different mediums will be explored – may include acrylics, watercolors, pastels, mixed media and more. Registration required. glencarbonlibrary.org

▪ Talking Transit — 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. Online via Zoom. This event will highlight the trajectory of transit in the St. Louis region in 2024. Updates will be provided on various transit projects currently underway, including light rail expansion to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, the Northside-Southside Corridor Plan with St. Louis City and St. Louis County, Metro Transit’s operating plans, the funding landscape and legislative priorities. The discussion will feature a panel that includes Patrick Judge, Principal of Gonzalez Companies and project manager for the IL LRT project; Taulby Roach, President and CEO of Bi-State Development; Charles Stewart, Chief Operating Officer for Metro Transit; and Jim Wild, Executive Director of East-West Gateway Council of Governments. The event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required and can be completed online at cmt-stl.org.

▪ Virtual Evening Flow Yoga — 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. Virtual class. This Slow Flow practice will lead you through a series of yoga poses that focus on strengthening, lengthening, and stretching. Side effects may include a sense of well-being and feelings of peace and calmness! Recommended props: 1. Two foam yoga blocks 2. A blanket 3. A yoga strap (or belt, towel, scarf. Registration required. glencarbonlibrary.org

▪ 2024 Queen’s Ball — 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3. Ste. Genevieve, 852 Memorial Drive, Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. The annual King’s Ball (renamed Queen’s Ball in leap years) is a French-inspired celebration of music and dancing that was held in historic Ste. Genevieve more than 250 years ago. Just as in years gone by, guests of all ages are invited to join in the merriment of the annual King’s Ball. Everyone is encouraged, but not required, to dress in French Colonial costume adding to the ambience. The musical ensemble provides instructions for traditional dances. Later everyone holds their breath to see who finds a bean or baby Jesus in their piece of King’s Cake. They will reign over events for the year. Guests are welcome to bring a basket of snacks for their enjoyment, and there will be a cash bar for refreshments. Proceeds from the King’s Ball benefit the Foundation for Restoration of Ste Genevieve. For tickets and info: historicstegen.org.

▪ Caritas Family Solutions 11th annual Heart & Soul Gala — 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3. The Regency, 400 Regency Park, O’Fallon. Join us for a special celebration dedicated to creating healthy relationships, loving homes, and stronger communities. There will be a cocktail reception, auction and raffles, followed by dinner and entertainment. For sponsorship and donation opportunities, contact Carly Jones at Carly.Jones@caritasfamily.org. For more information or for reservations, visit CaritasFamilySolutions.org/gala. Deadline to register: Friday, Jan. 12.

▪ Paint Your Power Animal — 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11. Green Root Gallery, 125 E. Main St., Belleville. Artist Greta Pastorello will help you explore your inner potential and enjoy the process of creative imagination in this painting workshop. Cost: $60. For more info: 618-416-1505. greenrootgallery.com

▪ Prairie Heart Foundation Heart Walk & Education Event — 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16. Korte Recreation Center, 1 Nagel Drive, Highland. Get powered up as you and your loved ones walk your way to a healthy heart. This low-impact, high-fun event for all ages includes a variety of activities to fuel your heart-healthy journey, along with prize drawings throughout the morning. Representatives from local HSHS hospitals will be at the event providing health information and education. Register for the walk by Feb. 9 at prairieheart.org/heart-walk.