Guide to Father's Day in St. Louis: Festivals, Events, Things to Do

Check Out the Cars at the Transportation Museum

Editor's note: This year's Father's Day Car Show has been cancelled.

The ​Museum of Transportation in west St. Louis County is hosting its annual Father's Day Car Show—Cars With Class—from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Father's Day in the Upper Lot of the museum parking area. Hosted by the Horseless Carriage Club of Missouri, Cars With Class offers free admission to the show, where guests can browse dozens of classic cars, as well as the museum itself.

After the car show, visitors can take in the impressive train collection of more than 70 locomotives, including many historic and one-of-a-kind steam engines.

Fuel Up at the Boathouse

Editor's note: While the Boathouse at Forest Park has hosted Father's Day brunch in the past, they will not be holding a special event this year. However, the restaurant is currently open at limited capacity.

The Boathouse at Forest Park is serving brunch on Father's Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or you can order from its regular menu from 2 to 9 p.m. Menu items at the Boathouse brunch include bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, smoked chicken and shrimp penne saute, and barbecue grilled salmon filet as well as a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches, and sides.

After a meal out on the patio, take a paddleboat ride with your dad on Post-Dispatch Lake. 

Have Brews and Barbecue at Pere Marquette

Editor's note: Pere Marquette Lodge is temporarily closed until further notice.

Take your dad to Pere Marquette Lodge in Grafton on Father's Day for live music, slow-cooked barbecued pork steak sandwiches, and brews from The Old Bakery Beer Company of Alton, all served up on the terrace with stunning river views.

Father's Day lunch at Pere Marquette is a good chance to have some tastes from this craft brewery that's become a staple in the St. Louis-area beer scene. The beer garden is open from noon to 4 p.m. on Father's Day this year.

Have Lunch and Take a Tour at the Anheuser-Busch Biergarten

Editor's note: Anheuser-Busch Biergarten is currently closed.

Take your dad to the Biergarten at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery for Father's Day. The Biergarten is serving from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and you and your dad can choose from a full menu of A-B brews and hearty sandwiches and appetizers against a historic urban backdrop at the original home of "The King of Beers."

After brunch, schedule a tour of the brewery, including the Day Fresh, Beermaster, and the Horses and Heritage tours, all of which provide an in-depth look at the process Anheuser-Busch uses in brewing their many different varieties of beer.

Get Revved Up at the Kimmswick Auto Show

Editor's note: This year's Kimmswick's Father's Day Car Show has been postponed to Fall 2020.

The City of Kimmswick is hosting its annual Father's Day Car Show from noon to 3 p.m. on June 16. The show is open to all makes and models of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, and there will also be music and other family activities.

The show revs up on Market Street near City Hall and will be held rain or shine. The entry fee is $10 per vehicle, and registration takes place from 9 a.m. to noon if your dad wants to participate in the event itself. 

Take a Mississippi River Cruise

Take your dad on a river cruise along the Mighty Mississippi for Father's Day with the Father's Day Brunch Cruise on the Hakuna Matata boat from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Catered by Grafton Oyster Bar, the Father's Day brunch includes local favorites like fried chicken, BBQ pork steak, au gratin potatoes, and country-style green beans.

Cruises leave from Grafton Harbor aboard the Hakuna Matata River Rambler. The boat is a double-decker, 49-passenger vessel with an air-conditioned first level with large windows and an open-air second level patio that affords views of the river bluffs, islands, and historic points of interest.

Hear Music at Mount Pleasant Winery

Mount Pleasant Winery in Augusta, Missouri, is a relaxing place to spend Father's Day. Stop by from 2 to 5 p.m. for a live performance of Mal Practice, along with great glasses of red or white wine on the patio.

Explore the Magic House for Free

Editor's Note: The Magic House is currently closed.

On Father's Day each year, The Magic House—the St. Louis Children's Museum—offers free admission to fathers around the world. On the night before Father's Day this year, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., you can also enjoy an Adult Play Date at the Magic House featuring craft making, LEGO-building, robotics, drinks, and light snacks.

Take a Hike

If your dad loves to get out and commune with nature, go on a hike on Father's Day for some old-fashioned bonding in the scenic hiking and biking trails around St. Louis.

Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park in Reynolds County, Missouri, is one of the state's most unique destinations for outdoor adventures. Created by volcanic eruptions over a billion years ago, the Shut-Ins form a river bed of hundreds of waterfalls, chutes, and deep pools for swimming. Some other good choices include Castlewood State Park, the Katy Trail, Babler State Park, and the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.