The Sounds of Summer in St. Louis Friday May 24, 2024 Share Music By Rachel Huffman Turn up the speakers. The sounds of summer are bringing a new kind of heat to St. Louis. During the summer, the region buzzes with activity. From Shakespeare in the Park to Celebrate Saint Louis and the Festival of Nations to the Saint Louis Art Fair, there’s never a dull moment, but right now, we’re dialed into the major musical events happening throughout the area. With a new rendition of Music at the Intersection, a spectacular season at The Muny, blues by the Gateway Arch and more, melomaniacs will get their fill of great music this year. For a complete list of concerts coming to town, check our events calendar. You can also explore all our music venues, from the intimate to the monumental, in our Sounds of St. Louis guide. Evolution Festival | Photo by Lexie Alley Opera Theatre of Saint Louis May 25 to June 30 Offering its signature mix of beloved classical operas and bold contemporary works, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis will present its 49th festival season from May 25 to June 30. Through the talents of hundreds of local, national and international artists, audiences will experience the magic of innovative storytelling as they travel between fantasy and reality, comedy and tragedy, love and revenge. The 2024 festival season includes The Barber of Seville (May 25 to June 29), La bohème (June 1 to 30), Julius Caesar (June 9 to 28) and Galileo Galilei (June 15 to 29). All the operas will be sung in English and accompanied by the Grammy Award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Whitaker Music Festival May 29 to July 31 The Missouri Botanical Garden is an idyllic place to listen to live music, and on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer, the garden hosts free, open-air concerts as part of the annual Whitaker Music Festival. To date, more than one million people have participated in the cherished St. Louis tradition, which promotes common heritage, celebrates diversity and encourages vitality within the community. Visitors can bring their own picnics, and food, beer, wine and sno-cones will be available for purchase. Confluence Music Festival June 1 and 2 The 80,000-plus fans projected to attend the upcoming Enjoy Illinois 300, a NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway, will be entertained at every turn. In its third year, the Confluence Music Festival will showcase innovation, talent and live entertainment. Over the weekend, the festival will feature approximately 30 local, regional and national acts, including headliners Ludacris, T-Pain and Riley Green, performing on multiple stages. Tickets include access to mouthwatering food and beverage vendors, interactive entertainment displays, a STEAM education showcase, display cars, interviews with local sports legends and a seat for the race. Blues, Bourbon and Beer June 12 Immerse yourself in the soulful sounds of St. Louis as local blues sensation Laka takes center stage at the Marriott St. Louis Grand during the second Blues, Bourbon and Beer event on June 12. With powerful vocals and heartfelt lyrics, Laka captivates audiences, transporting them to another time and place with each note. Join the local community for a night of electrifying performances as she shares her passion for music and pays homage to the legendary blues scene of St. Louis. The fun doesn’t stop there, though! During the event, you can sip carefully crafted bourbons, including the hotel’s newest custom Maker’s Mark bourbon: 1917 Grand Reserve Statler Edition. If bourbon isn’t your thing, you can also enjoy an array of local, national and international beers. The Muny June 17 to August 25 For more than 105 years, The Muny has filled Forest Park with the sounds of Broadway. Open from June through August, the outdoor theater attracts out-of-town professionals as well as local talent for memorable musicals beginning with As You Like It, the very first production ever mounted at what would become The Muny. For its 106th season, The Muny will delight audiences with Les Misérables (June 17 to 23), Dreamgirls (June 27 to July 3), Disney’s The Little Mermaid (July 8 to 16), Fiddler on the Roof (July 19 to 25), Waitress (July 30 to Aug. 5), In the Heights (Aug. 9 to 15) and Cole Porter’s Anything Goes (Aug. 19 to 25). Attending a performance at The Muny with family and friends is a staple of St. Louis summers. The shows are enchanting, electrifying and empowering, and every night, there are free seats available on a first-come first-served basis, so everyone can experience the magic of live theater. Concerts at the Park June 20, July 18 and August 15 Throughout the summer, the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site will host concerts centered on Americana music, including 1920s and 1930s blues and jazz from Miss Jubilee (June 20), a blend of Ozark and Appalachian music from The Root Diggers (July 18) and 1950s and 1960s blues, country and rock from the 4th Street Band (Aug. 15). Blues at the Arch | Photo courtesy of Gateway Arch Park Foundation Blues at the Arch August 9 and 10 Blues at the Arch will keep you in the groove until the end of summer. Hosted by the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, in partnership with the National Blues Museum and the National Park Service, Blues at the Arch pays tribute to St. Louis’ storied blues history and showcases the talents of local and national artists. Held at Gateway Arch National Park, the free music festival is the only one of its kind to take place on national park grounds. P!NK: Summer Carnival August 10 Raise your glass – P!NK is coming to St. Louis. Performing everything from upbeat anthems to emotional ballads at The Dome at America’s Center, the unconventional entertainer, outspoken social activist and all-around badass will be joined by special guests Sheryl Crow and The Script. Tickets for P!NK’s Summer Carnival are on sale now. Grub & Groove August 10 Eat, dance and be merry! At Grub & Groove in Francis Park, St. Louis’ finest musicians play to the crowd while local restaurants, breweries and distilleries keep everyone energized. Stay tuned for more details on this year’s festivities. Outlaw Music Festival September 8 The Outlaw Music Festival featuring Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and John Mellencamp comes to Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis on Sept. 8. Music at the Intersection September 14 and 15 Music and heritage meet at this festival in the Grand Center Arts District. Every rendition of Music at the Intersection, a civic-led effort presented by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, encompasses multiple stages set up in streets and green spaces throughout the neighborhood. St. Louis-based musicians as well as national acts spanning musical genres, including blues, jazz, soul, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll and hip-hop, come together in this celebration of St. Louis’ musical, cultural and artistic legacy. In 2024, headliners will include psychedelic soul band Black Pumas; 10-time Grammy-winning queen of funk Chaka Khan; rapper Big Boi of Outkast; New Orleans trombonist and trumpeter Trombone Shorty; five-time Grammy-winning jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding; funk group Lettuce; two-time Grammy-winning 24-year-old jazz singer Samara Joy; and St. Louis rapper Chingy. Music at the Intersection will also feature Ferguson-born trumpeter Keyon Harrold, a three-time festival alumnus, in a new role as artist-in-residence. Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival September 21 Twenty-two years ago, a small but passionate group of neighbors organized the first Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival simply because they wanted to throw a great party in their historic downtown. Today, the award-winning festival is one of the most family-friendly music festivals in the world. Offering nonstop jazz and blues on two stages, the free event showcases St. Louis’ most talented performers – plus, irresistible area restaurants and unique small businesses. Street entertainers also amuse spectators with balloons, juggling and face-painting. Everyone is invited to the party, where people from one to 100 get on their feet and shake their groove thing in the streets! Evolution Festival September 28 and 29 In its second year, Evolution Festival will once again shake things up in St. Louis. Held in Forest Park, the genre-bending music festival features live music infused with a bold beverage experience – plus, food that spotlights traditional recipes as well as cutting-edge trends from some of the most recognizable pitmasters in the Show-Me State. In 2024, top musical acts will include The Killers, Beck, Jane’s Addiction, Billy Idol, Nile Rodgers and Elle King. As you plan your next vacation, let the sounds of summer guide you to St. Louis. Share
