News
Celebrate the Gateway Arch’s 50th Anniversary by Turning a MetroBus Into a Work of Art This Saturday
The Gateway Arch is turning 50, and Metro Arts in Transit is inviting the public to celebrate the golden anniversary by painting two commemorative murals on a MetroBus at the Arch 50 Fest in Kiener Plaza. From noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, children and adults will transform a 35-foot MetroBus into a rolling work of art that will travel on routes in St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis over the next year. Arch 50 Fest is sponsored by CityArchRiver Foundation and Great Rivers Greenway.
What: Arts in Transit Bus Painting
Where: Arch 50 Fest
Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis
Bus painting will take place at intersection of 6th and Chestnut Streets
When: Saturday, October 24 – Noon to 2 p.m.
Cost: Free and open to all ages
“We are so excited to have the Arts in Transit Bus as part of the Arch 50 Fest experience,” said Ryan McClure, Director of Communications for CityArchRiver Foundation. “Bi-State Development has been a great partner to work with on the renovation of the Arch grounds, and we’re grateful for their support for this event.”
The murals for Saturday’s bus painting were designed by The Firecracker Press, and include bright colors and visual elements that celebrate the Gateway Arch’s history, significance and impact to the St. Louis region. The Firecracker Press is a letterpress design studio well known for its vibrant, bold and fun designs, and for combining antique printing technology with modern thinking.
“It’s a pleasure working with CityArchRiver and Great Rivers Greenway to create a bus celebrating this historic milestone,” said David Allen, Director of Arts in Transit. “We are all thrilled with the brilliant design provided by The Firecracker Press, some of the best designers in St. Louis, that will help us kick off the next 50 years of this iconic monument to America.”
David Allen and representatives of The Firecracker Press will be available for interviews on Saturday at the Arts in Transit Bus painting event. Members of the media can contact Jerry Vallely, External Communications Manager, at 314-486-5553 for more information on the Arts in Transit bus painting. For more information on Arch 50 Fest, contact Ryan McClure, Director of Communications with CityArchRiver, at 314-881-3532.
About Metro
Metro is the operator of the St. Louis region’s public transportation system, which includes the 87 vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; 391 MetroBus vehicle fleet that operates on 77 MetroBus routes in Missouri and Illinois; and Metro Call‑A‑Ride, a paratransit fleet of 120 vans. Metro is an enterprise of Bi-State Development (BSD), which also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport and its surrounding industrial business park; the Gateway Arch Riverboats, as well as operates the Gateway Arch Revenue Collections Center and Gateway Arch trams. BSD also operates the Bi-State Development Research Institute and the Regional Freight District.