Maplewood Street Festival Will "Let Them Eat Art"

More than 50 Maplewood businesses have been busy preparing for the sixth annual Let Them Eat Art event from 6-11 p.m. on Friday.

In addition to the area’s usual festival fare of live music and business open houses along Manchester Road and Sutton Boulevard, this Bastille Day inspired street party aspires for a more fanciful tone, hosting belly dancing performances, elaborate face-painting and dream interpretations.

“Anything goes, as long as it’s legal,” said Rachelle L’Ecuyer, the community development director for the City of Maplewood. “We try to do something a little different each year.”

Two new additions to this year’s entertainment are the Cajun sounds of the featured band, the Zydeco Crawdaddys, and Hula-Hoop performances by the St. Louis Hoop Club.

This year also marks a geographic expansion of the festival, with live music and an art show several blocks north of Manchester on Big Bend Boulevard. The party will get an early start in this direction with a pre-party hosted by at 5 p.m.

For the third year, Let Them Eat Art will feature a costume contest sponsored by . Cash prizes will be awarded for costumes in five categories, including a new one for this year’s event, “Best Tribute to Route 66.”