Evolution Festival is coming to Forest Park this Saturday and Sunday, August 26 and 27, and it’s casting a delightfully wide net, from music to food to drinks to creature comforts. Bourbon? Barbecue? Rock, new wave, and pioneers of hip-hop? Check, check, and check.
“Anybody who wants to come will enjoy it,” says festival co-executive producer Steve Schankman, who’s been producing shows in St. Louis for more than half a century.
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THE ENTERTAINMENT
“The first thing is you’ve got to put together a great lineup,” Schankman says. “We have an incredibly inclusive group of entertainers that will spend two days with us.”
The Black Keys headline Saturday night, and Brandi Carlile wraps the festival on Sunday. The festival is set up so that if you really hustle, you could potentially catch every act, even though it’s across two stages. (That’s pretty ambitious, though, and doesn’t leave much time for bourbon or barbecue.)
On Saturday at 3:35 p.m., don’t miss Modern English, the British new wavers behind “I Melt With You.” Hip hop is celebrating 50 years, and the Sugarhill Gang has been around for all of them; catch the band Saturday at 5:25 p.m. Next, at 6 p.m., see Brittany Howard, known for her funky foot-stomping work with Alabama Shakes. At 7:55 p.m., The Black Crowes bring funky ’70s-by-way-of-the-’90s grooves. Then, at 9:30 p.m., The Black Keys finish out the night.
Make Sunday a good day with the one and only Ice Cube at 6 p.m. Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals bring a mellow vibe that evening, at 7:55 p.m. And Brandi Carlile brings the festival to a close at 9:25 p.m.
Of course, both days have more noteworthy acts, too. See the website for more detail on bands, set times, and stages.
THE MENU
This being St. Louis, and St. Louis being located in Missouri, barbecue is an obvious choice for the food theme. Sugarfire Smoke House curates the offerings, and popular barbecue chefs such as “Phil The Grill” Johnson, James Boatright, and Sugarfire pitmaster Zach Dingman will be on hand for demonstrations. Herbivores are also welcome: Chef Chris Bertke’s Vegan Deli & Butcher will be there, as well meaty offerings from Five Aces Barbecue, Treaux’s Cajun BBQ, and Gobble Stop Smokehouse.
Thirsty yet? Bourbon is the festival’s featured spirit, and bourbon writer and influencer Fred Minnick will be dropping knowledge. Tons of distillers will join the festival, and beer, soft drinks, and other spirits will be in abundance.
THE ATMOSPHERE
“We built a beautiful site on Langenberg Field, five minutes from the MetroLink,” says Schankman. “Langenberg Field is all trees on the perimeter, just a beautiful place for guests to sit and do their thing.”
If your mosh pit days are over, VIP packages provide creature comforts: designated seating, food, restrooms and more. But if you’re the type of concertgoer who loves to wrangle your way to the front row, you can do that, too—Schankman says about two-thirds of the space in front of each stage is available to general admission ticket holders. “The artists want the fans up front,” he says.
There are also lockers available, so you don’t have to lug everything with you, and a limited number of lawn chairs will be available to reserve.
In its inaugural year, the festival marks a major addition to the evolving arts and dining scenes. “I’ve lived here all my life,” says Schankman. “We’ve watched St. Louis evolve. We wanted to something in St. Louis that united people, that would bring people together.”
Tickets are available online and start at $89.50 for single-day general admission, with full weekend and VIP packages also available. (Note: It’s a cashless festival, and you can register your wristband ahead of time or pay with most non-cash methods.)
