This article is presented in partnership with Sikeston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Sikeston, Missouri, knows how to put on a party, and the 9th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival and Home Brew Competition at American Legion Park on March 14 more than fits the expectation.

This annual event begins weeks prior when judges begin evaluating the home brews entered in the day’s festivities. On average, more than two dozen local and regional brewers compete for festival bragging rights and prizes during competition. While the judges’ decision is announced at the festival, that’s not the only award handed out. More than one thousand attendees, on average, can sample all the brews and make a determination of their own when they vote for the People’s Choice award.

In addition to home brewers, several commercial brewers will be at the festival handing out samples. Some of these are master brewers and started out as home brewers. Mike Mills with Saxony Hills Brewer, John Sadler and Matt Ruesler with Jackson Street Brew Co., and Stuart Matthews with Minglewood Brewery are but a few. 

Beyond beer, live music from the band Used & Refused, quirky competitions, a corn hole tournament, crafts, food trucks, and a St. Patrick’s Day-themed costume contest give this event the rest of the ingredients that make it a destination worth consideration.

A 1K doughnut dash is new this year, and if you love doughnuts, this is your race. While there will be T-shirts and prizes for the winner, the real treats are the sweets. Doughnut-loving runners can enjoy this delectable fried pastry at the start and the finish and at every 250-foot interval in between. This race is sure to have a sweet finish! Rain or shine, the festival will run from 11 AM to 4 PM.


Another great get-together, the 11th Annual Sikeston Jaycee Crawfish Boil & Music Festival on April 25 at Sikeston Rodeo Grounds, 1220 North Ingram Road, brings together two Cajun icons: crawfish and music. 

It’s hard to decide which is the main attraction at this annual shindig. The Sikeston Jaycees will bring up more than two thousand pounds of fresh crawfish from the Gulf of Mexico for hungry festival-goers looking for their fix. Pair the spicy crawfish with corn on the cob and it’s a meal fit for anyone who loves this southern combination.

The musical headliner at this year’s festival is Little Texas, and the Hunter Hathcoat Band and Heet & the AC’s will round out the bill. 

For more information, visit sikeston.net/events.