Tastes of Ale Fest just one way to indulge the senses this weekend

As much as I like variety, I can deal with allowing another weekend of sun and 70-something weather. Now that I’ve jinxed us all to miserably hot or wet weather for a while, let’s plan on getting outside and enjoying these five things this weekend while we can.

Imbibe

Want a beer? Or samples of 15? General admission tickets to the fourth annual Belleville Ale Fest are $25, for which you get tickets for 15 craft beer samples from brewers around the country. The taps flow from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at 4204 W. Main in Belleville. The annual Ale Fest will have food from both 4204 and the nearby Crehan’s Irish Pub; designated drivers can get in for $10 and tickets for water or soda.

Music from the Rat Rod Kings will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Ale Fest benefits the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce.

Parking is free, and so is a shuttle from the Memorial MetroLink Station with additional parking.

Take a walk

Two of the three organized hikes this week will benefit something other than your own health. Granite City has a fundraiser for the March of Dimes, and O’Fallon’s is a benefit for Parkinson’s Disease. (Those folks in Millstadt? They just like to walk, sometimes with their pets.)

▪  March of Dimes in Granite City: Register at 8 a.m. for a three-mile walk starting at 9 a.m. Saturday at Wilson Park in Granite City. The organization hopes to raise $75,000 for March of Dimes; and will have music, bounce houses, a souvenir photo tent and breakfast. For more information, go to www.marchforbabies.org.

▪  Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research in O’Fallon: For $30, including a goodie bag, pancakes and music, join the Soul to Sole 5K run/walk at 9 a.m. Sunday at The Egg & I at 4550 Regency Park in O’Fallon.

▪  People and pups at Millstadt: Registration for the traditional 5K or 10K run/walk is between 9 and 11 a.m. Saturday at the Village Park’s Shelter No. 1, at 112 W. Gooding St. in Millstadt. Pets are welcome and must be leashed. Walkers will need to be off the trail by 2 p.m. For more information, go to www.illinoistrekkers.org.

Gymnastics competition

Opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics District Gymnastics Competition starts at 8:20 a.m. Sunday at the Belleville Sportsplex, 2346 Mascoutah Ave. in Belleville. More than 35 athletes and 15 coaches will compete; the event should end about 3 p.m. It is free. For more information about Special Olympics in Illinois, go to www.soill.org.

Shop

Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville is again hosting a Spring Indian Market Days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the historic site. Indian artists and vendors will be displaying and selling their wares that include art, jewelry and clothing.

Listen to Lincoln’s Lady

Mary Todd Lincoln, or a close approximation of the former First Lady in the person of Barbara Kay, will discuss her life and times at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Monroe County History Museum at 724 Elaine Drive in Waterloo. For more information, call 618-939-8037 or go to www.monroecountyhistorymuseum.org.

This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 10:12 AM with the headline "Tastes of Ale Fest just one way to indulge the senses this weekend."