Each year, the Missouri Botanical Garden partners with the Chinese Culture and Education Services to host Chinese Culture Days. The festival is one of the largest and longest-running celebrations of Chinese American culture in the Midwest.
Hosted during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Chinese Culture Days is an opportunity for St. Louis’ Chinese American community to celebrate and honor its history and culture with the larger community.
The weekend is filled with colorful Chinese pageantry, art, music and dance, history and legends, and wonderful food.
In 2025, the Missouri Botanical Garden is hosting Chinese Culture Days on Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
What to Do at Chinese Culture Days this year
Chinese Culture Days 2025 welcomes guests of all backgrounds to experience and learn more about Chinese culture and history during the festival while having fun and making memories.
Whether you consider yourself a foodie, a history buff, or a music fan there is something for everyone of every age.
The festivities begin on Saturday at 10 a.m. with a Grand Parade from the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center to the Cohen Amphitheater. The vibrant parade features dance teams in traditional costumes, dragon and lion dancers, drummers, and representatives from the St. Louis Chinese and Asian American community.
Hear traditional chinese music and learn about the bone flute
The Nanjing Music Ensemble features four renowned, traditional Chinese musicians from St. Louis’s Sister City of Nanjing, China. The musicians will perform alongside esteemed traditional Chinese musicians from St. Louis, showcasing a variety of instruments, including stringed treasures like the erhu, guzheng, and pipa, as well as wind instruments such as the Chinese bamboo flute.
Amongst the musicians from Nanjing is Mr. Yu Dongbo, who plays and studies the oldest surviving musical instrument in China—the Jiahu bone flute which dates back 9,000 years.
Along with performing, Mr. Yu Dongbo will also lead a lecture and music demonstration, focused on Yu’s work with the bone flute.
See jaw-dropping stunts and choreography
The Changchun Acrobatic Troupe will be performing for the first time at Chinese Culture Days 2025. The nine-person troupe from Changchun, China, will showcase jaw-dropping acrobatics at the Garden’s outdoor amphitheater.
The group is the largest to attend the festival in several years and will be performing stunts, juggling and balancing acts, as well as more traditional Chinese entertainment like face changing.
Enjoy Tranquil Music and Tai Chi in the Chinese Garden
If you’d like to step away from the more lively festivities and enjoy a quieter side of the event, take a stroll through the Chinese Garden.
Throughout the weekend, local musicians will be playing Chinese folk music while Tai Chi instructors lead a harmonious class. Practicing Tai Chi alongside Chinese folk music creates a synergy of tranquility and beauty, as the flowing rhythms enhance meditative movements, embodying the unity of nature, music, and the human spirit.
Surrounded by the beauty of the Chinese Garden, which is considered the most authentic “Scholars’ Garden” of its size in the U.S., visitors can take a moment or two to find tranquility.
Marvel The ornate gift from St. Louis’ Sister City
St. Louis residents can awe at the ornate 38-foot dragon boat on display in the Central Axis ponds near the Climatron.
This massive piece weighs 800 pounds and was gifted to St. Louis from its Sister City of Nanjing, China, in 2023. The dragon boat will be on public display for the first time during the festival.
Originating in ancient China, the dragon boat is used in races where paddlers row in rhythmic unison to the beat of a drum, symbolizing teamwork, perseverance, and cultural heritage.
Made for Kids
All of Chinese Culture Days 2025 is family-friendly and a great place for kids to learn more about Chinese American culture, try new foods, and have some fun.
Here are a few exhibits specifically designed with little ones in mind:
- Children’s Arts and Crafts at Spink Pavillion
- Dance with Dragon and Dance with Lions at Central Axis
- Flying Dragon and Waist Drum at Central Axis
- Chinese Crafts DIY Classes in the Meeting Rooms of the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center
Enjoy Authentic Food and Souvenirs
Visitors can enjoy a refreshing drink and Chinese cuisine at the Chinese Food Court and find a souvenir at the Cultural Marketplace, both located near the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center.
The food court features Boba, noodles, dumplings, and much more. The marketplace offers authentic Asian art, jewelry, tea, and other items to take a piece of the festival home.
Both the food court and the marketplace feature local businesses as well as several nonprofits that help preserve Chinese American culture, history, and language in St. Louis.
Foodies may also want to check out the Arts of Chinese Tea and Chinese Cooking Show taking place at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening over the weekend.
how to Get Tickets to Chinese Culture Days
We recommend reserving your tickets to Chinese Culture Days in advance either online or at the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center. As a reminder, the Missouri Botanical Garden never sells tickets on third-party platforms, including social media.
- General Adult Admission (13+) | $16
- General Children’s Admission (12 and under) | $8
- Garden Member Adults (13+) | $8
- Garden Member Children (12 and under) | Free
- Festival-Level Members | Free + 6 Free Tickets
Purchase Tickets in Advance
Where to Park During Chinese Culture Days
The Garden offers parking outside of the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center, including several EV charging stations.
There is no charge for parking at the Missouri Botanical Garden. In the event that the parking lot is full, visitors should use the free parking at the overflow lots located at the corner of Shaw Boulevard and Vandeventer. Shuttles run from this parking lot to the Visitor Center throughout the festival.
As leaders in sustainability, we are also big fans of walking, biking and public transportation. We offer bike parking near the Visitor Center and are conveniently located near two Metro bus stops.
Jessika Eidson | Public Information Officer
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