Here are 21 music festivals around Missouri to check out this summer and fall
With the weather warming up, music festival season is upon us. It will soon be the perfect time to get outdoors to hear some live music.
Whether you're a fan of rock-and-roll, country, pop, electronica or bluegrass, there's bound to be a music festival in the state of Missouri for you. The News-Leader compiled a list of 21 music festivals in Missouri, all within about a three hour drive of Springfield, if not in city limits. This is not a comprehensive list of all the music festivals in the state of Missouri.
Femme Fest
Date: Saturday, May 11 at 7 p.m.
Location: The Where House Bar in Springfield
Springfield's annual Femme Fest is a rock music festival fundraiser for Queen City Rock Camp, a weeklong music and arts camp for girls, transgender and nonbinary youth. The lineup includes Guinevere and Her No Good Rodeo, Daisy Chain, Gutsie, SEBETH, Decibel Witch and Death to America. Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $10 cover at the door
Arcadia Valley Mountain Music Festival
Dates: May 17-18 and Oct. 18-29
Location: Iron County Courthouse in Ironton
Held about 80 miles outside of St. Louis, the annual Arcadia Valley Mountain Music Festival is held each spring and fall in Ironton. The festival's lineup for May includes The Punches; London Miscisin; Shannon Cox, Eric Thompson and Jenny Pitchers Revelle; Dave Black Band; Whitewater Bluegrass; and My Brother's Keeper. Food, arts and crafts vendors and children's games will be available throughout the festival.
Tickets: Free admission
Mother's Day Festival
Date: Saturday, May 18 from 1-10 p.m.
Location: Mother's Brewing Company in Springfield
Mother's Brewing Company's annual Mother's Day Festival is an afternoon and evening full of live music, local food and of course, beer. Mother's Lil' Helpers, Bellwether Slims and One More Dollar will perform live at the festival. Food trucks The Almighty Sando Shop, Good Pizza Company and Tinga Tacos will be on-site, too.
Kids are welcome; the festival will feature a few bounce houses, but pets should stay home.
Tickets: bit.ly/3JFIugS or $10 at the door
Pointfest
Date: Saturday, May 18 at 1 p.m.
Where: Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights
St. Louis' alternative radio station, The Point 105.7 FM, is hosting its annual Pointfest again this May. This year's headling artist is Bad Omens, with special guests Wage War, Grandson, Avatar, Sleep Theory, New Years Day, Ozymorrons, Letdown. and Inimical Drive.
Tickets: livemu.sc/4a5fEBl
ReJuvenation Restival
Dates: May 30-June 2
Location: Astral Valley Art Park in French Village
ReKinection's ReJuvenation Restival is a music festival that focuses on "holistic wellness, performing arts, sustainability and art." This year's festival will feature live music from countless electronic music artists, including headliners WookieFoot, Maddy O'Neal, Porangui, artifakts, Balkan Bump and David Starfire. Yoga, aerial and fire dance performances, a variety of workshops, activities for children and plenty of wellness practitioners and vendors will also be held.
Tickets: theticketing.co/e/rejuvenationrestival2024
Rock House Music Festival
Date: Saturday, June 1 at 2:30 p.m.
Location: Rock House Center for the Arts in Reed Springs
The Rock House Center for the Arts in Reed Springs is a visual and performing arts school, gallery and music venue. The annual Rock House Music Festival will feature live performances from The Vincents, One More Dollar, My Politic and Dance Monkey Dance. Doors open at 2 p.m., music starts at 2:30 p.m. and a BBQ-potluck dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m.
Tickets: rockhousecenterforthearts.org/calendar-tickets
Old-Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival
Dates: June 7-8
Location: West Plains Civic Center in downtown West Plains
Held each June, West Plains' Old-Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival aims to "celebrate, preserve, pass on and nurture an appreciate of the old-time music and folk life traditions distinctive to the Ozark Highlands." In addition to live music, the festival features artisan demonstrations, music workshops, dance competitions and various activities for children. The festival operates from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. both days, with music starting at noon.
Tickets: Free admission
Stomp the Blues Festival
Date: Saturday, June 8 from 1-9:30 p.m.
Location: Community Blood Center of the Ozarks in Springfield
The 13th annual Stomp the Blues Festival will feature performances by Larry McCray, Heather Gillis and WolfTwin, Damon Fowler and Mr. Tab Benoit. The festival aims to support direct assistance to Springfield's homeless community. Proceeds benefit Women In Need of the Ozarks, The Rare Breed, Laura's Home, Darr House and Play it Forward SWMO.
Tickets: stompthebluesoutofhomelessness.com/tickets.html
Boulevardia
Dates: June 14-15
Location: Grand Boulevard at Crown Center in Kansas City
Boulevardia is downtown Kansas City's beer, food and music festival. Spread along Grand Boulevard in front of the Crown Center, the festival features several music stages, food trucks, beer gardens and activities for the whole family. This year's headlining artists are Milky Chance (Friday, June 14) and Thundercat (Saturday, June 15).
Tickets: boulevardia.com/tickets/
O'Fallon's Heritage & Freedom Fest
Dates: July 3-6
Location: Ozzie Smith Sports Complex in O'Fallon
O'Fallon's Heritage & Freedom Fest coincides with the Fourth of July. The four-day festival features live music, a carnival midway, Fourth of July parade, fireworks and other family-friendly activities. This year's headlining artists are Poison frontman Bret Michaels on Thursday, July 4 and country pop musician Mitchel Tenpenny on Friday, July 5.
Tickets: Free admission
Pickin' on Picknic
Dates: July 11-14
Location: Lost Hill Lake in Saint Clair
Back for its seventh year, Pickin' on Picknic is a three-day festival full of camping, music, food and craft vendors, workshops and large late-night bonfires. The festival's headliners are Sam Bush Band, The Mighty Pines, The Cleverlys, Sicard Hollow and Allie Kral. Pickin' on Picknic is a family- and dog-friendly festival.
Tickets: pickinfestival.com/tickets-2024/
Chains Unchained Fest
Dates: July 19-20
Location: Real Life Church in Springfield
Chains Unchained Fest is Chains Unchained Ministry's annual summer music festival. This year's performers are The Protest, Drive Thry Society, The Reckless Revival Band, XIII Minutes, Wolves at the Gate, Deliverance, Cleansing of the Temple, Stonewall Static, Brotality, Living Scars, Tricord, Tunder and GHXSTS.
Tickets: chainsunchained.com/tickets-merch
Mid-America Music Festival
Dates: Aug. 2-3
Location: Black Silo Winery in Trenton
The annual Mid-America Music Festival is a country music and camping festival held on the Black Silo Winery's 70 acres, about 90 miles north of Kansas City. This year's entertainment includes Sawyer Brown, Gabby Barrett, Eli Young Band, Dillion Carmichael, Cody Canda and the Departed, Shane Profitt, Sons of Sterling, Jayson Orr & Shop Band, Slow Leak and Marshall Holles. In addition to music and camping, the festival will feature food trucks, 24 American and craft beers on tap, vendors and fireworks.
Tickets: bit.ly/3QtlTb5
Music for the Mind
Dates: Aug. 16-17
Location: The Camp at Lake Wappapello in Wappapello
Music for the Mind is a two-day music festival dedicated to spreading mental health awareness. The festival is held in honor of the late Josh Monroe. Since 2019, the festival has raised more than $26,500 for mental health charities. The Music for the Mind lineup features Drake White, Maggie Rose, Paul McDonald & The Mountain Doves, Brit Taylor, Adam Chaffins and Pryor Baird.
Tickets: bit.ly/4a2js6c
Paint Louis
Dates: Aug. 30-Sept. 1
Location: The Mural Mile in St. Louis
Held annually since 1997, Paint St. Louis is a graffiti festival held in downtown St. Louis, along The Mural Mile. According to the Paint St. Louis website, more than 420 artists participated in the festival last year. The registration form for this year's festival remains open.
Tickets: Free admission
Dancefestopia
Dates: Sept. 2-8
Location: Wildwood Outdoor Education Center in La Cygne, Kansas
Though technically in Kansas, Dancefestopia, Kansas City's electronic dance media festival, is located less than four miles from the Missouri-Kansas state line in what is known as "Emerald City." The 12th annual festival's lineup features Ganja White Night, Black Tiger Sex Machine and Rezz.
Tickets: bit.ly/3wgLDAE
Outlaw Music Festival
Date: Sunday, Sept. 8 at 3:30 p.m.
Location: Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights
Blackbird Presents is touring its Outlaw Music Festival once again this summer and fall. Missouri's leg of the tour will feature Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and Southern Avenue.
Tickets: ticketmaster.com/event/06006055AEBE6190
Mo Jazz Music Festival
Date: Saturday, Sept. 7 at 1 p.m.
Location: Rose Music Hall in Columbia
Hosted by the Jazz Forward Initiative, the Mo Jazz Music Festival is a day of full jazz music, open to all members of the community. This year's entertainment includes the University of Missouri Jazz Band at 1 p.m., James Ward Band at 2:30 p.m., Kansas City Latin Jazz Orchestra at 3:40 p.m., Bob DeBoo Quintet at 5 p.m. and Pass Kow and His Afro-Fusion Orchestra at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: Free admission
Music at the Intersection
Dates: Sept. 14-15
Location: Grand Center Arts District in St. Louis
St. Louis' Music at the Intersection festival is a celebration of the city's sound, a blend of blues, jazz, soul, R&B, hip-hop and rock-and-roll. Headlining artists include Black Pumas, Big Boi, Lettuce and Chingy on Saturday, Sept. 14 and Chaka Khan, Trombone Short & Orleans Avenue, Esperanza Spalding and Samara Joy on Sunday, Sept. 15.
Tickets: bit.ly/3K4km7X
MoRoots Music Festival
Dates: Sept. 26-28
Location: Bass River Resort in Steelville
MoRoots Music Festival will feature entertainment from Aaron Kamm and the One Drops, Madahoochi, Mighty Pines, Mike Dillion, Clusterpluck, One Way Traffic and many others.
Tickets: Call Bass River Resort at 573-786-8517
Evolution Festival
Dates: Sept. 28-29
Location: Forest Park in Saint Louis
St. Louis' alternative rock festival features a hefty lineup this year, including Beck, Blondie, The Killers and Jane's Addiction. Supporting acts include Nile Rodgers & Chic, Pete Yorn, Robert Finley, Elle King, Son Volt and Daddy Long Legs.
Tickets: evolutionfestival.com/passes.html
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 21 music festivals in Missouri to check out this summer and fall
