Every first weekend in September (Labor Day weekend) looks a little blue in St. Louis, thanks to the Budweiser Big Muddy Blues Festival. With five stages for a rotating roster of 50 local blues artists to perform on, the three-day festival always draws a crowd by the thousands, and with good reason—the event is free. Situated along the St. Louis Riverfront, the area known as Laclede’s Landing quickly becomes littered with chairs, blankets, and spectators galore as some of the most notable blues performers take to the stage.
Budweiser Big Muddy Blues Festival
Laclede's Landing
St. Louis, MO 314-241-5875
For jazz lovers, there’s no other place to be but the St. Louis Jazz & Heritage Festival. Featuring big names in the jazz industry and up-and-coming talent, the festival brings together dynamic contemporary jazz with a multitude of cultural events and artistic exhibits. Merchants fill The Marketplace to display and sell their handiwork while children flock to The Improv, which is an area devoted to musical activities for kids. It even features a musical petting zoo. The goal of the festival is to give the public a better understanding of the art of jazz. With this in mind, visitors are encouraged to attend Soul School, which aims to educate through impromptu performances by jazz musicians, historians, and teachers.
St. Louis Jazz & Heritage Festival
Shaw Park
Clayton, MO 314-863-0278
The Arcadia Valley Mountain Music Festival
Those looking for a true country music festival might find the 80-mile drive from St. Louis to Ironton, Missouri worth their while, where the Arcadia Valley Mountain Music Festival is put on every Spring and Fall. With the Ozark Mountains as its backdrop, this free spring festival, called the Spring Mountain Music Festival, kicks off every May with the “longest running parade in Missouri” according to the website that promotes the festival. After the parade, the real focus of the festival comes into focus, as numerous country and bluegrass musicians take the stage for three days of live entertainment. Audience members even have the chance to get on stage to show off their musical talents, if they so choose. Whether guests attend the spring event or The Fall Mountain Music Festival, they will discover plenty of vendors, arts and crafts, and entertainment for the kids, including a miniature train ride.
The Arcadia Valley Mountain Music Festival
Iron County Courthouse Square
Ironton, MO