Festivals near St. Louis

Set where the Mississippi meets the Missouri, beneath the steel arch that has become its emblem, St. Louis carries music in its foundations. This is the city of Chuck Berry and Scott Joplin, a crossroads where Delta blues travelled up the river to mingle with ragtime and soul. That heritage is still very much alive: The 18Th Annual Gateway Blues Festival keeps the twelve-bar tradition going every spring, while in the Grand Center arts district Music At The Intersection gathers soul, jazz, hip-hop and funk across several stages each September — the marquee event that sums up the city's blended identity.

But the local scene reaches well beyond its roots. Down by the Gateway Arch, Leftover Salmon's Arch Deluxe unspools its jam-grass along the riverfront, Tacos and Tequila Festival lines up Fat Joe, Rick Ross and Ginuwine for a 21-and-over night of rap and R&B, and veteran rock turns out for Sammy Hagar: the Best of All Worlds. FestT computes your FestiScore — how closely a line-up matches your favourite artists — and keeps dates, headliners and ticketing up to date, so the right St. Louis-area event stands out at a glance.