Bosnian Festival Enlivens Bevo Neighborhood
Last weekend the 3rd Annual Bosnian Festival took place despite the extreme heat. It didn’t take long to determine that “voda” is Bosnian for water. Not that I was clever or anything, it helped having a friend originally from Sarajevo to interpret the menus and such. With the exception of cake, all the food contained meat so this vegetarian stuck to water.
It was nice being in a place where another language is spoken, if not for the sprawling QT across Gravois I might have thought I was in Europe.
The crowd gathered around the music stage for various performances during the afternoon. The Bevo Mill make a nice backdrop for the events.
In the nearly 16 years I’ve lived in St. Louis we’ve had quite an uptick in immigration helping offset population losses as natives continued to flee to the suburbs. Immigration is important to the life of a thriving city as our new residents bring language, food, and customs different than our own. This adds an interesting layer to urban life.
Sadly, I think too often our new citizens try to hard to fit in to our society — adopting our wasteful ways of driving everywhere and aspiring to a home in the suburbs. Part of coming to America is a better life and for many that means a private car rather than mass transit or a bicycle of their home country.
We need more people in the City of St. Louis, a good 100,000 or so. I don’t think we are going to steal these kind of numbers away from St. Charles County anytime soon and the region is not growing at a fast enough pace for us to add this many in the coming decades. Increased immigration into St. Louis may well be the key to repopulating the city.
– Steve
Fine with me! Ethnic enclaves=unique city.
Did you check out Bevo Mills’ latest reincarnation? Pretty tasty!
I’ve actually heard that a lot of Bosnian emigres have begun moving to South County, rather than the city…
I suppose it would be great if all immigrants remained in the city at all times, rejected American excesses and kept every rustic, old-world tradition alive. But personally, I’m not going to fault political refugees who, having survived genocide, think they would be happiest owning a car and living in the burbs.
Also, I think the Bosniaks can attest that ethnic enclaves can equal many things, and not always good ones. But I’m glad the festival was such a success.
In less time than it takes to go through high school and college they have assimilated nicely into American culture. They are truly a model that other immigrants should emulate.
I didn’t get to the Bosnian festival but did have breakfast at Bevo Mill Saturday. As someone of German heritage who happens to like dark places with linen tablecloths, sauerbraten and strolling musicians, I hated to see its decreasing patronage and that of Schneithorst’s, et al. I even went to Chicago for the Berghoff’s last month in business.
But the new Pat Hanon’s Bevo Mill incarnation is just fine: reasonably priced food served plesantly and more casually in a wonderful landmark–and there is still sauerbraten on the menu. The place was 70% full on Saturday; sure hope that trend continues.
They should put some Bosnian stuff on the menu if there isn’t anything already (I ordered bacon and eggs). Also I recommend the Busch family bio Under the Influence.
Just like the white city natives fled to the inner-ring suburbs, the South Side Bosnians are now heading to Affton. When asking any of them why, the answer is always: Need Better Public Schools.
I recently sat in on a conversation with some 40-something veteran South Siders who fondly recalled what a major event Bevo Day used to be. “Back in the day,” at least 6 blocks of the area were closed off, and every inch of that space was crammed with drunken revelers. It was the one event where you would see all the people you used to know/go to school with, and could catch up. Bevo Days was a South Sider’s Fair St. Louis equivalent.
Now, the natives stay away because of the decided immigrant flavor, and simply talk about the good ‘ole Bevo Days. I sympathize with the passing of their Golden Era, but I’m impressed with the evolution and re-shaping of the event. I think the people responsible for the rebirth of that area deserve to guide that celebration.
The native South Siders abandoned the Bevo business district, only returning to consume copius amounts of beer and brats on Bevo Day. The Bosnians are there every day, adding money and life to the area. Since I live a mile away from the Mill, I prefer Bevo to be alive and vital 24-7, rather than boisterous and crowded one weekend a year.
I took an adult education course titled “Understanding Bosnian Culture”. It was taught by a Bosnian immigrant who lived in St. Louis for a couple years. He has since moved to South County. I asked him why and he said the loud hip hop music at all hours of the morning drove his family crazy. White flight continues.
It’s true, many upwardly mobile Bosnians have moved to South County. Truthfully, the public schools out there aren’t always that much better than SLPS, but at least the districts like Hancock and Bayless are smaller so there’s a little less bureaucracy to manage and they can (if they want) adapt and change more quickly.
Meanwhile, the public schools in Bevo and Tower Grove South are hosting a growing wide range of immigrant groups: Albanians and Roma (“Gypsies”) – they even had a festival not long ago – as well as Somalis, Afghanis, etc.
Although some Bosnian businesses have branches in South County, their heartland is along Gravois and Morganford in Bevo. Bosna Gold is a great place with great food, for example. And, of all things, it’s a converted Pizza Hut!
As a native Bosnian and recently naturalized American citizen, I am very proud of what we have accomplished so far, we own houses, have our businesses and great careers, kids graduate from high schools, colleges and universities, we have our festival;
We are hard working and always ready to learn more!!
I have lived in 4 States in the USA, Wisconsin, Arizona, Illinois and Missouri, also I have traveled to Florida and California—believe me, St. Louis is #1 for Bosnians because here people seem more united in many ways. And as Imam Hasic said “If a Bosnian is visiting from overseas and hasn’t been to St. Louis, than he hasn’t been to United States”
I agree with previous posters that mentioned public schools. Using their car vs. public transit or riding a bike is pretty darn low on their considerations of whether to move to the suburbs or stay in the city.
To R.M.
You should be proud. You’re proving that with a little hard work the American dream is very much possible. Bravo!
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