The second annual Veterans Festival in Forest Park, is set for Labor Day weekend September 1 – 3 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday. Admission to the Festival is FREE in the Veterans Village at Forest Park, one of St. Louis' most treasured resources. The Veterans Festival committee announced that Anheuser-Busch is the premier sponsor of the event.

The mission of the Veterans Festival in Forest Park is to salute the sacrifices these brave men and women have made for our country and community.  The Veterans Festival also aims to promote awareness of the resources and services available to Veterans and their families.

“Over 500,000 Veterans make Missouri their home.  As the young men and women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan return home, we want them to be aware of the services and support that are available to them,” says Festival Chairman Dave Morgan.

Veterans Festival Founder Robert Hermann says, “The goal of this Veterans Festival is to bring our community together in honor of all Missouri Veterans who have served their country so bravely and selflessly in numerous wars and conflicts in the 19^th, 20^th, and 21^st centuries.”

 “Veterans helping Veterans, that’s what we do,” Morgan continued.

Veterans Village near the Muny will be the centerpiece of the three-day Festival featuring family activities, concerts, and exhibits throughout Forest Park including:

Special offers and events for Veterans and their families all weekend at the St. Louis Zoo, Art Museum, History Museum, Science Center and off-site at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

• Veteran resources and services in the Veterans Village

•  a parade welcoming visitors to the event as it winds through magnificent Forest Park

•  majestic Budweiser Clydesdales will lead the parade on Saturday and will remain on site for photos with guests

•  hundreds of vintage automobiles on display in a special viewing area

•  a golf tournament hosted on the beautifully renovated Forest Park golf course

•  a tennis tournament at the Dwight Davis tennis courts

•  military equipment both modern and dating back more than 100 years including Special Ops aircraft and a        30-foot Coast Guard Vessel

•  local bands will perform, rock, country, bluegrass, jazz and other popular musical styles

•  battle reenactments

• festival food and refreshment vendors

•  walking trails will host the Veterans Festival 10-mile run

•  the chance to win a 2012 Harley-Davidson Softail motorcycle

The three-day Veterans’ event is expected to draw more than l/2 million people to a weekend of sports, arts, games and family-oriented events throughout Forest Park — the 1,293-acre jewel of the St. Louis metropolitan area in honor of the men and women who have nobly and selflessly served our nation.  

Proceeds from the Veterans Festival in Forest Park go to officers’ service programs at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and Disabled American Veterans

For more information on the Festival visit www.vfstl.com