Welcome to the first edition of St. Louis Magazine's Chesterfield newsletter! Here’s a peek at what you’ll find inside this week:
📅 Learn about Chesterfield’s patriotic plans for 2026.
🛩️ Get the latest on upcoming projects at Spirit of St. Louis.
🎉 Mark your calendar with seasonal events.
👤 Discover more about Mayor Dan Hurt.
🏡 View a four-bedroom home that just hit the market.
Chesterfield's Parks and Recreation department is preparing for a year of patriotic celebrations. Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
📰 AROUND THE BLOCK
Chesterfield to paint the town red, white, and blue: Chesterfield’s Parks and Recreation Department is gearing up for a yearlong celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, with events planned from March through Veterans Day in 2026. A resident committee has been working with the department to orchestrate a citywide series of activities and patriotic displays. Plans include educational exhibits at City Hall; themed summer camps; senior programs; storybook walks in the parks; and red, white, and blue plantings throughout the year. The city is also exploring attractions such as a Toby Keith tribute show, a drone display, and expanded Fourth of July festivities featuring carnival rides and a possible bomber flyover. The city council this week approved $125,000 to support the celebration, with sponsorship opportunities still in development.
Spirit of St. Louis Airport director outlines 2026 budget: Spirit of St. Louis Airport director John Bales recently shared a $43.2 million self-funded 2026 budget that leans heavily on fuel sales and more than 200 leases, with no needed support from St. Louis County’s general fund. Major projects include a $9 million replacement of the aging general aviation terminal, completion of long-running land acquisitions, pavement and roof work, and design for a future rebuild of the airport’s primary runway. Bales said airport businesses now support 3,000-plus jobs and generate more than $500 million in annual economic impact.
Chesterfield crime roundup includes arrests for driving while intoxicated, shoplifting, and domestic assault: Chesterfield police logged a steady week of calls, including a DWI arrest on Olive Boulevard after a stop for defective equipment and a scam report at the Walmart on THF Boulevard. Officers also took a theft report at Dick’s Sporting Goods, where $1,860 in North Face coats were stolen, and handled two incidents at St. Louis Premium Outlets involving a broken vehicle window and the shoplifting of Versace sunglasses. Another DWI arrest followed a speeding stop on I-64, and a domestic assault was reported at the Forum Apartments.
A MESSAGE FROM THE CITY OF CHESTERFIELD
The hunt is on for candy canes in Central Park
Kiddos ages 2–12 are invited to join Chesterfield Parks, Recreation & Arts in Central Park on Saturday, December 6, for holiday characters, sweet treats, and, of course…candy canes! Admission is $10 when you pre-register, or $15 the day-of.
Turkey Trot (November 27, Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex): Grab your shoes and take a run (or walk) in the Annual Turkey Trot 5k & Fun Run. The event starts at 8:30 a.m. $35 until November 26; $45 race day.
Enchanted Fairy Gardens (November 25–January 4, Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House): Take a break from the cold and visit the Tropical Conservatory, which will be filled with a diverse collection of colors and elaborate fairy gardens. The exhibit, which runs from 10 a.m.–4 p.m., is included with Butterfly House admission.
Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland (December 2, The Factory): Celebrate the holiday season with the acrobatics and aerial arts of these circus performers. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Prices vary.
Teelgate with Teeling Irish Whiskey (December 4, 17397 Chesterfield Airport Road): Test samples of whiskey and food. Every attendee receives a $10 coupon to use in store at the event from 6–8 p.m. There will also be free bottle engraving. $13.65.
Courtesy City of Chesterfield
⭐️ COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Dan Hurt reflects on crisis, change, and the city’s future
Mayor Dan Hurt has been a steady presence in Chesterfield’s city government for nearly four decades. He still points to the 1993 levee break as a defining moment, when he spent the night in the Valley trying to slow the floodwaters and later pored over maps to assess the damage. Looking toward the future—and all of the development opportunities in front of the city—Hurt says he approaches his role as a public servant, not a politician.
Help Feed My People spread hope this holiday season
Feed My People’s Giving Tree and Adopt-A-Family programs are back, helping local families experience the joy and dignity of the holiday season. Find out how you can help.
📌 BULLETIN BOARD
The Chesterfield City Council earlier this week unanimously approved a liquor license for Balkan Store and Bakery (13393 Olive), allowing on-site and Sunday sales. Balkan Store and Bakery announced last month that it would temporarily close while undergoing an ownership transition. A reopening date has not been announced.
Utility work and site grading have begun at the former Chesterfield Mall site, marking a key step toward building Downtown Chesterfield’s new road network and 3.3-acre central park.
Drew Patchin, a seventh grader at Northeast Middle School, is donating copies of his children’s book, Marshmallow Can Do Hard Things, inspired by his fight with brain cancer, to every Parkway elementary library.
The city of Chesterfield has updated its trash can rules: Residents can now leave bins out until 9 a.m. the day after pickup, and corner-lot homes must keep cans out of sight from the street tied to their address.
A new Washington Post analysis shows snowfall in St. Louis County has dropped 23 percent over the past five years, with forecasts pointing to another below-average winter unless an early-season polar vortex shakes things up.
Chesterfield resident Steve Turner recently published PR THAT WORKS, a plain-spoken guide to building successful public relations campaigns that draws on his 30-plus years in the field and features case studies from local companies such as Amini’s, Daniel Schmitt & Company Classic Cars, and more.
Niche.com recently ranked The Fulton School No. 8 among all private K–12 schools in Missouri and No. 15 among all private high schools in the state.
Courtesy of ReeceNichols
🏠 HOME OF THE WEEK
Four-bedrom Chesterfield home hits the market
Generous footprint: This four-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home offers 4,307 square feet of living space in the Parkway School District.
Modern core: The main level features a chef’s kitchen with Bosch stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, soft-close cabinetry, and a large breakfast area. Hardwood floors flow throughout much of the level.
Address: 14560 White Birch Valley
Price: $749,000
Realtor: Erik Petersen, ReeceNichols, 314-610-2318
