The Best Things to Do in St. Louis This Weekend: May 16 to 19

Thursday 05/16

Skin Show
In what has become a celebrated tradition for local lovers of boobs, butts and bawdy behavior (the four Bs!), the 13th Annual Show-Me Burlesque festival is bringing glitz, glam and a whole lot of ass to Cherokee Street this week. Though founder Lola van Ella no longer lives in St. Louis, she has made an indelible impression on the number of shaking ta-tas the city sees in any given year — and that's a beautiful thing, in our book. This year's three-day celebration will take place from Thursday, May 16 to Saturday, May 18 at the Golden Record (2720 Cherokee Street) and the nearby Casa Loma Ballroom (3354 Iowa Street). As is the case with these affairs, the festival promises "spectacular productions and fabulous burlesque, vaudeville, circus, and variety entertainment from every gender and from around the world," according to promotional materials. The performers include the aforementioned van Ella, as well as Jeez Loueez, Auralie Wilde, Sailem and many more whose talents (among other things) will be on full display. The festivities kick off with an opening night bash at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Tickets range from $25 to $140 and can be purchased here at showmeburlesque.com/tickets .

Smooth Operation
Those interested in the shinier things in life will find much to enjoy at the Saint Louis Art Museum's (1 Fine Arts Drive) Shimmering Silks: Traditional Japanese Textiles, 18th-19th Centuries exhibit. Curated by Philip Hu, SLAM's curator of Asian art, the exhibit features more than a dozen works that came to the museum as gifts or purchases over the last century, and celebrates traditional silk textiles from the 1700s through the 1800s. During that time period, SLAM says, "the main centers of traditional silk textiles in Japan were the old imperial capitals of Nara and Kyoto, supplying a clientele that included the imperial family, members of the hereditary nobility, feudal lords and ladies, high-ranking Buddhist clergy and the uppermost echelons of civil society." The most lavish silks were used for imperial and Buddhist ceremonies, performances of Kabuki and Noh theater, formal wear and wedding costumes — so we're talking about some high-quality stuff here. The exhibit will be on view during SLAM's normal business hours through October 20, and admission is free. Details at slam.org .

Friday 05/17

Forget All Your Cares
Outside of sporting events, there can be a dearth of large-scale gatherings in downtown St. Louis these days— let's face it, many of the city's biggest celebrations take place where the tallest buildings aren't . But this week breaks that trend, as the City Social Block Party returns for its third year, throwing one of the biggest, best block parties in town in the heart of the city on Washington Avenue. The event will feature live music, food, drinks and games. It's like the neighborhood party you might have on your street — except the damn whole town is invited. Wash Ave eateries such as Hot Pizza Cold Beer, Levels, Sugarfire and many others will be hosting pop-ups on the sidewalk, keeping everyone fed, while 4 Hands Brewery will be among the great vendors serving drinks. Tons of phenomenal music acts will take the stage at Washington and 14th Street, including Marquise Knox, DJ Mahf, Joanna Serenko and more. Best of all, the whole affair is completely free to attend. The good times start at 5 p.m. For more information, visit shorturl.at/vEKSU .

A Matter of Taste
Get ready to celebrate everything that is great about the Maplewood and Richmond Heights food scenes this weekend at the 16th Annual Taste of Maplewood Street Festival . Held on Friday, May 17 from 6 to 10 p.m. and Saturday, May 18 from noon to 8 p.m., this big block party aims to bring neighbors together while also supplying a small sample of all the area has to offer. In addition to downing tasty bites from local restaurants, guests can stop by the tents at this free festival and do a little shopping. There will also be two stages set up with plenty of entertainment options — enjoy performances from Mattie Schell, the Chris Shepherd Band, Raised on Radio and more, or catch the St. Louis Irish Arts song and dance exhibition on Saturday afternoon. Visit midcountychamber.org for more information, including the entertainment schedule, details on where to park and a list of vendors scheduled to be on site.

Saturday 05/18

Outside(r) Art
Bougie types may hold out for Clayton's Saint Louis Art Fair, where artists have to apply and it's hard to find a painting for less than $800. But if your tastes run to quirky, not fancy, you will find yourself happily at home at the Bevo BAZAAR-O , the wonderfully named yard sale/craft fair in Bevo Mill. Unlike some of the more uptight affairs in this town, there's no screening of these vendors — they just pay $10 per parking spot at 5000 Gravois Avenue, set up a display of their crap and get to selling. Sure, that lack of overall quality control means you're assuredly going to find some real junk — but also, who knows what kind of treasures lurk in south city? The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. Attendance is free. Details at shorturl.at/jBT67 .

Sunday 05/19

One Last Hurrah
Lo-Fi Cherokee said its goodbyes last month, as the low-key festival featuring a series of single-day music video shoots spent one last Saturday capturing a dozen local musical acts in and around Cherokee Street businesses. But because this is a music video festival, not a music festival, the fun isn't really over until the videos premiere — and that makes this Sunday, May 19, the true end of the festival that videographer Bill Streeter started 14 years ago. Sob! Swing by Off Broadway (3509 Lemp Avenue) for the Lo-Fi Cherokee Final Premiere Party to see the results of Streeter's day-long sprint and celebrate the community that's sprung up around it. Oh, and you can catch some pretty good music videos, too. Doors open at 7 p.m. with the screening at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10. Details at lofistl.com .