Engage in an inspiring and significant history lesson

An area of the exhibit focusing on the crisis of secession. Harry S. Truman Library and Museum photo

Discover the enormous impact one man had on the course of our country. To honor former President Abraham Lincoln–the man who saved the Constitution and the nation–the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Mo., is exploring his efforts, achievements, leadership and influence on freedom worldwide.

“Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War” is an interactive and dramatic exhibition running through Sept. 14. The exhibit highlights the three constitutional crises Lincoln faced as president: secession, slavery and civil liberties during the Civil War.

Organized into seven areas, the exhibit begins Lincoln’s journey with a video, which takes you back to 1860 when the nation was approaching war.

Integrating imagery, text, multimedia and computer interactions, this display brings to life the struggles Lincoln faced.

Visitors get to witness amazing historical records of rare signed copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amend-ment, which abolished slavery.

In an attempt to get visitors to reflect on the significance of the history, guests are asked to consider how it’s relevant to today’s world. Each visitor is asked, “Do you think America has lived up to the ideals Lincoln fought for– equality, freedom, democracy?” The responses are displayed on a wall full of Post-It® notes, which makes for an exhibit all its own.

The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum is open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. It is open until 9 p.m. on Thursday from May to September.

The Lincoln exhibit is included in the museum admission, which is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors 65 and older, $3 for youths 6–15 and children under 5 are free.

Located at 500 West U.S Highway 24, the museum is 20 minutes from downtown Kansas City. For more information, call (800) 833-1225 or visit www.trumanlibrary.org.

Find fun in the sky at this hot-air balloon festival

Colorful balloons in Centralia. Centralia Chamber of Commerce photo

They may be full of hot air, but it’s no lie that balloons can sprinkle the sky with fascination.

Prepare to be swept off your feet at the 19th annual Centralia Illinois Balloon Festival Aug. 15–17. More than 40 hot-air balloons, four balloon races, cardboard boat races, fireworks, a car show and a craft fair will keep you soaring with excitement all weekend.

The balloon glow is a beaming attraction. On Friday and Saturday nights, balloons will be lit up all around the park, including around the pond, which will make for a spectacular show.

In addition to the balloons, the sweet sounds of music will fill the air. South 70 will be performing Friday night, and the Bob Kuban Brass Band will play Saturday night.

Gates open at 3 p.m. on Friday and at 6 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $2 per adult or student, and children under 6 are free. A three-day pass is $5, with no refunds, and parking is $3 per day.

For more details, call (888) 533-2600 or click on www.balloon-fest.com.

Celebrate German heritage in Jasper, Ind.

Grab a beer stein and put on your lederhosen. It’s time to dance on down where the polka music plays; the smell of bratwurst, sauerkraut and other delicious foods lingers in the air; and friendships are made.

The 30th annual Strassenfest in Jasper, Ind., has become the biggest attraction in the southern part of the state. People from all around, German or not, gather in this predominantly German-Catholic community to this four-day festival. From July 31–Aug. 3, Jasper will celebrate its German heritage with its sister city, Pfaffenweiler, Germany, and display the country’s colors all over town. A Miss Strassenfest, along with a Little Miss and Little Mister Strassenfest, will be crowned Wednesday night. The Strassenfest mass and the parade will take place Sunday.

Festival-goers also will enjoy a quilt show, a log-sawing contest, a chili cook-off and polka and chicken dancing contests. Booths with games and food, plus a hot-air balloon race and carnival rides round out the fun at this event.

The action will take place in downtown Jasper, which is located in southwest Indiana in Dubois County, about 60 miles northeast of Evansville.

For more information, call (812) 482-6866 or click on www.jasperstrassenfest.org.

Meet at the Muny for a magical, memorable birthday celebration

A large crowd gathers to see a spectacular Muny production. Muny photo

The Muny, which is one of the largest and oldest outdoor musical theaters in the country, has reached a milestone this summer.

The 11,000-seat theater in St. Louis will put on a variety show to celebrate 90 years of entertainment. “90 Years of Muny Magic” will include highlights from different productions throughout times past, on July 14–20. The retro extravaganza will take audiences on a musical journey from grand opera and operettas to rock musicals.

One show that will have a piece taken from it is the big opening scene from “West Side Story.”

Other past productions will be included and will feature singing and dancing, as well as show-stopping moments. Michel Bell is expected to return to sing “Old Man River” from “Showboat.” With 14 productions, it is the most-performed show at The Muny.

Laura Peters Reilly, marketing director, of The Muny said the last time Bell performed this song, “he stopped the show.” She described the performance as a breathtaking and incredible experience.

Before this historical element of Forest Park became the magnificent attraction that it is, The Muny started out as a section of grassy area between two oak trees. In 1916, shrubs were cleared from the hillside and a performing area was built. Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” was the first production at the site of today’s Muny.

Other shows that can be seen at The Muny this summer include, “My Fair Lady” July 7–13, “Miss Saigon” July 21–27, “My One and Only” July 28– Aug. 3 and “Fiddler on the Roof” Aug. 4–10.

“90 Years of Muny Magic” starts at 8:15 p.m. Ticket prices range from $9 to $64 and can be purchased by calling (314) 534-1111. For more information, call (314) 361-1900 or visit www.muny.org.

New bicycle bridge offers awesome views of St. Louis

Two miles north of the Gateway Arch, the McKinley Bridge Bikeway and the Trestle at Branch Street is a great way to view downtown St. Louis. Great Rivers Greenway District photo

Once a railroad bridge and later part of Route 66 for automobile travelers on the Mother Road, historic McKinley Bridge in St. Louis is now carrying yet another mode of transportation: bicycles.

The McKinley Bridge Bikeway and the Trestle at Branch Street opened in June as a distinctive bicycle and pedestrian experience featuring dramatic views of the Mississippi River and downtown St. Louis. The bikeway is a 2,600-foot-long by 14-foot-wide cantilevered lane separated from vehicular traffic on the bridge, which connects St. Louis with Venice, Ill.

The route is only the second bicycle/pedestrian bridge to open over the Mississippi River in St. Louis, preceded by the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in north St. Louis County. The McKinley Bridge first opened in 1910 and carried both vehicular and railroad traffic over the river for decades but closed in 2001. Revitalization began in 2004, and it was reopened for vehicular traffic last November.

The Trestle at Branch Street, on the Missouri side of the river, is a 2,400-foot-long by 24-foot-wide paved path that rises from the street level at Branch Street to the height of the McKinley Bridge Bikeway. The trestle also provides a direct connection to the popular 11-mile Riverfront Trail, which follows the Mississippi River’s west bank from the Gateway Arch in St. Louis to the Chain of Rocks Bridge. On the Illinois side, the bridge connects with the 16-mile Conflu-ence Bikeway in Madison County that also has access to the Chain of Rocks Bridge.

The Great Rivers Greenway District–an organization that is leading the development of a region-wide system of interconnected greenways, parks and trails known as the River Ring–provided $7 million for the bridge bikeway and $4 million for the Trestle at Branch Street. The Metro East Park and Recreation District contributed nearly $1 million to the project.

The bridge is located about two miles north of the Gateway Arch. There is no designated parking for bicyclists yet on the Missouri side of the McKinley Bridge but there is a little park on the Illinois side with a parking lot. People can walk or ride from several trailheads along the Riverfront Trail to the bridge. For more information, about the bikeway, visit www.greatrivers.info.