On the Riverfront of the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Louis, Missouri, near the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Gateway Arch), the great "Fair Saint Louis" takes place. In 2011 this event will take place July 2 - July 4. The event is a top-knotch festival with amusement rides, air shows/flyovers, Budweiser exhibits, National Park Service exhibits, special historic events at the old court house, family fun, sand sculpturing, sports skills challenges, art, food, numerous live concerts and fireworks display over the river! Some of music entertainers in the past have included: Lee Greenwood, Brandy Johnson, Kool & The Gang, Unchained, Trip Daddies, Ocean Six, Trip Star, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Sarah Cloud, Javier Mendoza, Smokey Robinson, and others.
Fair Saint Louis is definitely one of the best Independence Day celebrations in the country.