Festival season is fast-approaching, and St. Louis has an electrifying lineup of concerts, performances and community celebrations that will leave you with barely a moment to rest.
If you’re looking for more things to do in St. Louis in June, check our events calendar.
Fat Ham
May 20 to June 7
Presented by the St. Louis Black Repertory Company, this 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama centers on a queer, Southern college student in a modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. From an uproarious family barbecue emerges a compelling examination of love and loss, joy and pain. Experience it for yourself this spring.
MLP St. Louis
June 4 to 7
Top athletes in America’s fastest-growing sport are coming to St. Louis. When Major League Pickleball swings into the city this June, fans can expect four days of fast-paced, heart-pounding, championship-level action. Hometown team, the St. Louis Shock, will battle it out at Chaifetz Arena in the league’s signature co-ed team format, and you don’t want to miss it.
Circus Flora: Flying High
June 4 to 21
Circus Flora is a beloved summer tradition in St. Louis. To celebrate its 40th anniversary season, the performing arts organization will present Flying High, an all-new show running from June 4 to 21 at The Big Top in Grand Center. Set to dazzle audiences with its unique combination of world-class circus performers, exceptional storytelling and live original music, Flying High transforms an ordinary high school into an extraordinary academy of wonder. Step into halls and classrooms filled with acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and clowns, along with an unforgettable faculty whose astonishing skills turn every moment into a spectacular surprise. “Circus Flora has always been about what happens when artists and audiences come together, when a room holds its breath and then erupts in laughter or applause,” artistic and executive director Jack Marsh says. “After 40 years in St. Louis, seeing generations of families return summer after summer is deeply moving. This anniversary season celebrates that shared history and the simple, powerful joy of experiencing live performance together.”
Blue Man Group
June 5 to 7
Dive into the thrilling Blue Man Group experience, which has dazzled more than 50 million theatergoers across the globe. A blend of captivating music, interactive art and audience engagement, Blue Man Group creates a fun, disruptive and out-of-the-ordinary atmosphere that exhilarates the senses and uplifts the spirit.
Route 66 Cars & Guitars Festival
June 6
Celebrating the Route 66 centennial, this outdoor festival will bring vintage cars, live music, beer wagons and local vendors to the heart of Kirkwood, a charming destination along the historic highway. If you’re seeking a retro vibe on your St. Louis trip, add this family-friendly event to your itinerary.
Augusta Wine & Jazz Festival
June 6
In the country’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA), history meets rhythm. Beginning with the soft pop of a cork and the brassy timbre of a trumpet, the Augusta Wine & Jazz Festival is an exciting tribute to the Missouri Rhineland spirit. On the leafy bluffs of the river valley, among the sun-drenched vineyards and independently owned storefronts of the quaint town, visitors can experience sophisticated, soulful sounds over bottles of Vignoles, Norton and other regional grapes.
Bommarito Automotive Group 500
June 6 and 7
Drivers to your cars! The annual Bommarito Automotive Group 500 draws NTT IndyCar Series drivers from around the world to World Wide Technology Raceway. As a celebration of Route 66, the weekend will be packed with exciting on-track activity, driver meet-and-greets and live entertainment! Whether you’re a die-hard INDYCAR fan or new to the sport, this is an event you want to join.
Picturing Independence
June 12 to January 24
Marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum features more than 50 works created between 1770 and 2018. Featured works include silver by Paul Revere, paintings by George Caleb Bingham and Benjamin West and prints by Norman Akers and Jacob Lawrence. Picturing Independence is arranged in two sections: Picturing Revolution, which depicts the American Revolution and military service, and Symbols of the New Nation, which juxtaposes the development and response to national symbols such as the U.S. flag, the bald eagle and the Statue of Liberty.
Juneteenth Celebration
June 13
Kick off Juneteenth celebrations in the Delmar Loop. Delmar Boulevard, a longstanding symbol of division, is transcending its historical barriers to create an extraordinary festival experience, complete with art, music and food.
Central West End Cocktail Party
June 13
Many people claim that the first cocktail party on record was held in the Central West End in 1917, with Mrs. Julius S. Walsh, Jr. hosting in her home at 4510 Lindell Blvd. Every year, the St. Louis neighborhood pays tribute to the important anniversary by celebrating in style. This year, expect aerial performers, fire dancers, stilt walkers, hula hoopers and live music, among cocktails and cotton candy at the event.
Hairspray
June 15 to 21
Tracy Turnblad is back at The Muny and ready to move to the beat of a changing world! It’s 1962 in Baltimore, and the lovable plus-size teen dreams of dancing on The Corny Collins Show. When her wish comes true, Tracy rockets from social outcast to sudden star. But she’ll need more than great moves to dethrone the teen queen, win the affections of heartthrob Link Larkin and integrate the popular TV show once and for all. Based on John Waters’ cult classic 1988 film and winner of eight Tony Awards, Hairspray is a rockin’, dance-filled, joyous musical with big hair, big heart and big fun.
Shrek The Musical
June 25 to July 2
The lovable fairy-tale misfits from the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation sensation storm The Muny after 13 years! In a hilarious adventure that’s perfect for the whole family, a grumpy ogre named Shrek sets off with a wisecracking donkey to rescue a feisty princess who doesn’t exactly need saving. Add a pint-sized villain, a cookie with an attitude and a kingdom of storybook outcasts, and you’ve got a mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there’s one on hand. Irreverently funny and surprisingly sweet, Shrek The Musical proves that beauty is truly in the eye of the ogre.
Beethoven x Coldplay
June 26
Classical genius meets pop brilliance in this concert at Powell Hall. Composer-conductor Steve Hackman will transform Beethoven’s Eroica into a sweeping oratorio, interweaving Coldplay’s greatest hits – think “Yellow,” “Viva la Vida” and “The Scientist” – with the emotional third symphony. Performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and acclaimed guest vocalists, this powerful concert reimagines Beethoven’s struggles and triumphs through the lens of 21st-century rock. Don’t miss the boundary-breaking performance that proves great music transcends time.
Pond-O-Rama
June 27 and 28
In its 26th year, the St. Louis Water Garden Society’s annual tour features amazing ponds and water gardens in the St. Louis metro area owned and maintained by its members. As a society, it has also maintained the lily ponds at the Jewel Box in Forest Park for more than 35 years. Its members work from May through October to plant and maintain the lily ponds, and Pond-O-Rama supports that effort.
PrideFest
June 27 and 28
Bringing a kaleidoscope of colors to Market Street in downtown St. Louis, the Grand Pride Parade is the culmination of the spirited PrideFest celebrations that happen at the end of every June to coincide with the Stonewall Riots, which served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the U.S. “PrideFest is always a good time,” Jordan Braxton, an educator and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, says. “Last year, the festival drew approximately 325,000 people to downtown St. Louis, and this year, we’re expecting a similarly sized crowd – plus, the same great energy!”
