Tag: Warren County Missouri

Posted in Events

What’s Happening in East Central Missouri June 15 – June 28, 2026

Posted on by Amanda

Summer is in full swing and over the next two weeks there’s more community fairs and carnivals happening, including the Meramec Community Fair in Sullivan, a carnival in Salem, and the Warren County Fair in Warrenton. There’s also Father’s Day celebrations, and some America 250 and 4th of July celebrations begin toward the end of this month.

Additional events happening between June 15 and June 28 include community markets, free concerts like Sunset on the Riverfront in Washington, and free family activities at area libraries, as well as a free lawn chair movie night, and another Wagon Days event at Longmeadow Rescue Ranch in Union.

As a reminder, always double check with event venues before heading out just in case an event gets canceled, rescheduled, or experiences weather delays.

Did I miss an event? Tag me on Facebook or Instagram and I can share the event in my stories.

Various dates and times
Cinema 1 Plus in Washington is having a few special movie events throughout the summer. There are kid films series that are $2 a viewing, as well as a flashback cinema series, which offer a second chance to catch a classic flick on the big screen.
Find out more on Facebook.

Various dates and times
Great 8 Cinema in Union and Sullivan 6 Cinema are also featuring a special kids summer film series that kicks off mid-May and runs through late August. Additionally, the admission is $2, and there are $5 value combos available.
Get details on Facebook.

Tuesday, June 16
Learn about the power of pollinators at the Washington Public Library’s Pollinators at the Library talk presented by John Gildehaus at 6 p.m.
Learn more.

Tuesday, June 16
Erik Ferguson, Senior Historic Site Specialist with Mastodon State Historic Site, will give an all-ages presentation on archaeology at the Pacific Branch of Scenic Regional Library at 6 p.m.
Pre-registration required.

Friday, June 19
Landon’s Lemonade Stand will be at the St. Clair Saddle Club Barrel Races beginning at 6 p.m.
Learn more.

Friday, June 19
Head to Union for Lawn Chair Movie night, with a showing of “Snow White.” The film will begin at dusk.
Get more info.

Friday, June 19
Glittering Grapevine Line Dance is hosting a Mom Prom at McKelvey Vineyards from 8-11 p.m. The evening is for moms and sons age 5 and up to enjoy music, dance, and have fun! Diana with Glittering Grapevine will be your DJ for the evening playing requests and teaching line dancing moves. The $5 fee to participate includes the DJ, punch, and snacks for the boys with adult beverages available for purchase for the moms.
Learn more and register.

Friday, June 19
The Gerald Saddle Club is hosting a School’s Out for Summer Speed Show beginning at 7 p.m.
Learn more.

Saturday, June 20
Spend a day with rescued ranch animals at Long meadow Rescue Ranch’s Wagon Days. See Twister paint, meet the world-famous Barn Buddies and adoptable animals, then take a wagon ride through the 165-acre facility in Union. Food and beverages are available for sale, but you are also welcome to pack a picnic lunch.
Find out more.

Saturday, June 20
The St. Clair Farmers Market happens on the first and third Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. – noon at the St. Clair Elks Lodge parking lot.
Get more info.

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Tuesday, June 23
Head to the Washington Public Library for a tea party unlike any other! The T-Rex Tea Party will feature dino snacks, games, and crafting for the whole family. The fun begins at 5 p.m.
Get more info.

Tuesday, June 23 – Saturday, June 27
The Meramec Community Fair in Sullivan will have musical performances by country stars like Sara Evans and Clay Walker, carnival rides, fair food, games, and more.
Find the fair schedule of events.

Wednesday, June 24
The Franklin County, Mo. chapter of Silent Book Club will again meet at underGROUNDS Espresso Bar from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Bring your own book and join in this unique book club where attendees read silently for the first hour, with the remaining time dedicated to chatting with others in attendance or more independent reading.
More details.

Thursday, June 25
It’s time for Sunset on the Riverfront, a free monthly concert happening in Washington that also features food and drink vendors, along with kids activities.
Learn more.

Friday, June 26 & Saturday, June 27
Pyro’s Firework Nightmare promises to be Sullivan’s biggest 4th of July celebration. This two-day event will feature access to the haunted house, food, drink, and craft vendors, along with firework displays each evening.
Find out more.

Friday, June 26
Macadoodles Fine Wine, Beer, & Spirits in Union is having a Passport to 250 Community Celebration from 5-9 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy live music, bites from area food trucks, games and activities for the whole family, and more.
Get more details.

Friday, June 26
Market Off Main is happening at Hansen Park in Union. Beginning at 4 p.m. the market will feature a variety of area vendors, along with live music, and food and drinks available for purchase.
Learn more.

Saturday, June 27
Downtown Pacific’s 24th Annual Car Show & Block Party will feature over 500 cars, as well as entertainment for the whole family. The event runs from early morning until night.
Find out more.

Saturday, June 27
The second and fourth Saturday of each month is the farmers market at Frisco Farmhouse in Catawissa. Shop from local crafters, vendors, and find fresh produce, meat, honey, and other items.
Learn more.

Saturday, June 27
The City of St. Clair is having its annual Freedom Fest event at Orchard Park. The fun begins at 4 p.m. and includes food, vendors, face painting, live music, a fireworks display, and more.
Get more info.

Saturday, June 27
The Sullivan Community Market is on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month during market season. The event happens from 9 a .m. – 1 p.m. at Muddy Banks Brewing in Sullivan.
Find out more.

Sunday, June 28
Head to Lost Hill Lake in St. Clair for the glamping and event venue’s Open Lake Day. For just $10 per person, you may use the lake and other amenities onsite from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Learn more.

Road Trippin’

Take a little road trip to some of these events happening within a short drive of Franklin County.

Multiple dates from June – August
Brookdale Farms in Eureka is having Camp Brookdale, a summer camp event for kids. This screen-free day camp event will give kids an outdoor, adventure themed experience all summer long.
Learn more.

Thursday, June 18 – Saturday, June 20
The town of Salem is having a summer carnival at the Dent County Commons.
Follow the Salem Chamber for more info.

Sunday, June 21
Father’s Day at the White Mule, with fried chicken and roast beef served from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Enjoy live music from Bucket List between 1-4 p.m. on the pavilion.
All dads get 1 free drink. Reservations are required.
Find out more.

Wednesday, June 24 – Saturday, June 27
The Warren County Fair in Warrenton will feature live stock shows, fair rides, live music and other entertainment, as well as a rodeo and firework display.
Find out more.

Friday, June 26
The Outfield Bar & Grill in Marthasville is having country singer and The Voice runner up Ruby Leigh in concert. The event begins at 7 p.m. and tickets are required to attend.
Find out more.

Friday, June 26
St. James Winery in St. James is continuing its seasonal Movie Night in the Gardens event, with an outdoor showing of the family film “James and the Giant Peach.” Sip on beverages from St. James Winery, including soft drink selections, and there will be a special menu item – James’ Peach Pizza. The fun begins at 8:30 p.m.
Learn more.

Saturday, June 27
Enjoy the Festival of Hope at the Clara Eitmann Messmer Amphitheatre in Hermann from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be multiple live music performances, food trucks, and craft vendors, and the event will benefit Touch of Hope nonprofit.
Find out more.

Sunday, June 28
Head to Memorial Park in Owensville to celebrate the 4th of July holiday and America’s 250th Anniversary early. The festivities will include a picnic starting at 4 p.m. and fireworks at approximately 9:30 p.m. There will be food and beverages for purchase with cash only at ticket booth, along with fun events for kids and adults of all ages starting at 5 p.m.
Learn more.

Have a public event coming up? Submit your event details like time, location, and cost to attend. Be sure to include your website and social media details so I can help spread the word about your event!

Posted in News and Features

Meet the Women Providing Meals for the Community Through the Nonprofit Feeding on Faith

Posted on by Amanda

A couple of years ago, friends Mary Stevens and Judy Mattox felt called to make meals for people in need. At first they organized a small group that served meals at their shared church, and while that was a successful effort, they both felt led to do more, but in order to do that they’d need to take a couple leaps of faith, like registering as a nonprofit, finding a kitchen where they could prep and cook meals, and raise funds.

Feeding on Faith has been official since November of 2024, after everything was finalized – from becoming a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, to meeting health department requirements, to finding a kitchen and place to serve meals, all of which took about six months. 

Things really started to pick up for the organization once they were able to begin organizing community meals served at the Marylou Community Building in Truesdale, located in Warren County, which started this past summer and is still going strong.

Mary, left, and Judy, right, are the duo behind the nonprofit Feeding on Faith. Photo credit: Feeding on Faith via Facebook.

The meals they’ve served have changed along with the seasons, over the summer the ladies served items like “walking tacos” for lunch at the concession pavilion located outside of the Marylou Community Building. During that time, they fed a lot of kids since school wasn’t in session, as well as some single adults, retirees, and families.

Mary and Judy say they still see “a pretty good mix of people” at each community meal, with many return attendees.

“We see a lot of families and we hear the same thing each time: ‘you don’t know how much this helps,'” Mary shares.

And since the women both feel like creating this nonprofit was a calling from God, it’s important that the help they provide often looks like the kind of comforting meal you’d get if you were invited to a friend’s house for dinner.

Casserole meals are popular dishes, but the ladies have also made hearty meals like scalloped potatoes and ham, soups and chili, as well as sandwiches and chips, and chili dogs. Although both ladies love to cook for others, Judy is the baker of the two, so every meal also includes a dessert of some sort.

Although they’re a fairly new organization, they’ve made a significant impact for those in need. So far, they’ve served over 900 meals to the community, helping to feed people at the community meal events as well as providing meals to nearby shelters.

“We really wanted to serve 2,000 meals last year, but in the beginning we had some delays with renting a kitchen,” Mary explains.

In addition to feeding people at the every other Monday community meals, some of the shelters and other groups they’ve provided meals for include a domestic abuse shelter and they’ve helped make lasagnas for the Lincoln County chapter of the nation-wide meal train program called Lasagna Love.

Having access to the space inside Marylou Community Building once every other week means they have a place to keep their supplies, a requirement per the health department, but also it means they’re able to preserve any leftovers and purchase more perishable ingredients in advance.

“We were able to buy a freezer, so now we can buy things when they’re on sale,” Judy says.

The ladies make all the meals that they serve to the community. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

As a nonprofit they rely on donations and volunteers, and whenever they’re able to make ingredients and funds stretch, the more people they’re able to help. Mary shares that since they’re such a new organization, a lot of volunteers at Feeding on Faith have been friends and family, although they also welcomed a Girl Scout Troop to help serve a community meal last year.

And there’s also been support from individuals and organizations in the community, including Cuivre River Electric, Long Row Lavender Farm, Woodbridge Corp., Sam’s Club in Wentzville, and many more. Without those donations – of both funds and supplies – the nonprofit wouldn’t have been able to make such a profound impact.

Planning for the future

Both Judy and Mary see Feeding on Faith expanding to help even more people.

“Judy wants a food truck,” Judy says with a laugh.

The women hope to grow the nonprofit by purchasing a food truck or food trailer so they can be mobile to meet, and feed, people where they’re at.

“That’s this year’s partial goal,” Mary adds.

Mary also envisions having a bigger space that’s all their own, so they can have premade, frozen meals ready to help people whenever they need it.

“We’re very grateful to be able to use this space, but unfortunately we don’t have access to it all the time,” Mary shares of the Marylou Community Building. “I’d love to make up individual meals in advance and put them in the freezer at our own place so that if someone reaches out and needs a meal for that day, we can easily help.”

Mary and Judy work together to make multiple lasagnas in an assembly style at the Marylou Community Building in Truesdale. In January 2026, the Feeding on Faith community meal was lasagna, salad, garlic bread, and dessert. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz

The next community meal served at the Marylou Community Building in Truesdale is on Monday, Feb. 2, from 5-6:30 p.m. If you’d like to learn more about Feeding on Faith, you can follow the organization on Facebook, or visit its website.

Note: This article is part of a series highlighting volunteer groups, individuals who give back to area causes, and people who are building community, such as the piece I wrote on The Homemade Exchange. If you know someone making a positive impact in or around the Franklin County area, email me at smalltownsocialitemo@gmail.com and I may feature them on the website.

Posted in News and Features

Want to Help Others, But Don’t Know Where to Start? Check Out By This They’ll Know on Facebook

Posted on by Amanda

If you’ve ever thought about lending a helping hand to those around you, but don’t know where to start, you’re not alone. According to Megan Burridge, founder of a new Facebook group called By This They’ll Know, a lot of people have a desire to help others, but the logistics that can be behind the act of caring for our neighbors can make it feel like it’s too hard to start.

“I truly believe people want to help others but don’t know how,” Megan explains. “I like to use the analogy of attending a wedding reception: you know you’ll end up on the dance floor, but so many people don’t want to go first,” she shares with a laugh. “But once someone does, then more people come out to the dance floor.”

That belief comes from some observations she made during a recent lived experience. In the summer of 2025, Megan’s husband faced some health challenges and during that time she said so many people reached out to her and offered to help. She felt overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness, but it also highlighted some gaps she’s noticed within her faith community.

Megan Burridge, founder of the Facebook group By This They’ll Know. Photo credit: Megan Burridge.

As a Christian, Megan believes a big part of living by that faith involves helping others. However she’s noticed that there can be a gap between churches and individual Christians stepping up to help others when compared to people not affiliated with a particular faith.

“I noticed that most people who are helping are not identifying as Christian,” Megan says.

That didn’t sit well with her and what she believes she’s meant to do as a Christian. Motivated to do something about her observation and taking inspiration from a Bible verse, she formed By This They’ll Know on Facebook. In just a few short months, the group has grown to nearly 500 members. And, during that time, people have made an impact around their communities, especially over the past holiday season.

Just a few examples include member Alyssa and her children who held a food drive every Saturday in November. Alyssa and her kids passed out free hot cocoa to all who made a food donation and collected 1,145 items for local food pantries in the process.

Food donations secured for area food pantries that were collected by member Alyssa and her children in November 2025. Photo credit: Alyssa R., member of By This They’ll Know.

Likewise, several members got together before Thanksgiving and assembled Thanksgiving meal kits, which consisted of canned and dry goods placed in a disposable turkey roasting pan.

Members work together to assemble Thanksgiving meal kits. Photo credit: Kiley M., member of By This They’ll Know.

And another member, Melissa, started a Blessing Box in her neighborhood. Similar to how a Little Free Library works, people can donate items like shelf stable food, hygiene products, scarves, gloves, and more, and the items are available for free, for anyone who needs them.

A Blessing Box filled often contains shelf stable food, hygiene products, and items for cold weather, like gloves or scarves. Photo credit: Melissa F., member of By This They’ll Know.

Although many people think of those in need in November and December, in reality the need for help knows no particular season, but thankfully, neither does kindness and giving. With a solid foundation formed over last fall, By This They’ll Know is on track to continue to grow and give people who are looking for way to help others a starting point. Going forward, Megan hopes to create events where people within By This They’ll Know can get together and get to know each other and build friendships and community with like-minded individuals.

Interested in learning more or getting involved? The group is open to a variety of faiths, as well as those who aren’t affiliated with any religion. Members can reside in Franklin, St. Charles, St. Louis, and Warren County areas, and beyond.

Note: This article is part of a series highlighting volunteer groups, individuals who give back to area causes, and people who are building community, such as the piece I wrote on The Homemade Exchange. If you know someone making a positive impact in or around the Franklin County area, email me at smalltownsocialitemo@gmail.com and I may feature them on the website.