Each year, the parking lot of Maplewood’s Schlafly Bottleworks is transformed into a vibrant alternative art fair during the Art Outside Festival. Returning for its 21st year, the free, open-air event will provide the opportunity to peruse booths from dozens of artists while taking in live music, participating in a variety of family-friendly activities, and partaking in food and drink selections provided by Schlafly.
Aiming to offer “art without the pretense” and to connect the community with local artists, Art Outside will showcase the work of painters, illustrators, sculptors, and other craftspeople, all of whom are based within 125 miles of Schlafly’s brewery. Attendees will have the opportunity to view live painting and glass-blowing demonstrations throughout the weekend. Additional experiences, including henna artwork and tarot readings, are available for purchase.
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“We started Art Outside to be an alternative art fair, which highlighted local artists’ incredible talents and allowed attendees to be able to purchase their work at affordable prices,” said CEO David Schlafly in a press release. “We wanted to lean into that alternative experience more this year with interactive art experiences in a family-friendly environment.”
This year’s festival features a partnership with St. Louis non-profit Artists First, which seeks to empower artists of all abilities by offering open studio time and programs that foster individual creative expression. Schlafly and Artists First have collaborated to create a unique 16-ounce beer can—designed exclusively for Art Outside—featuring artwork from artists with disabilities. A percentage of sales will benefit Artists First. The organization will also host a Creation Station offering T-shirt customization, Swifties bracelet-making, and legal graffiti. Attendees can visit Artists First Row for face painting.
A full lineup of musical acts—primarily emphasizing blues, jazz, and bluegrass—will perform throughout the weekend. The Rocky Mantia Trio, The Grooveliner, the Ceci Rayburn Trio, Scroggins and Farrar, the Billy E3, Flip Side and Friends, the Adam Maness Trio, Rich McDonough and the Rhythm Renegades, Lucky Dan and Naked Mike, the Joe Park Trio, and Dawn Weber & The Boogaloo Crew are all slated to make appearances.
The festival will take place at Schlafly Bottleworks September 6–8, with activities from 5 p.m.–9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m.–4 p.m. on Sunday. Schlafly will offer a full range of beers from their regular and seasonal menus. In addition to a limited restaurant menu inside the Bottleworks, outdoor food vendors will also be available. Families and leashed pets are welcome, and browsing at the artists’ booths is strongly encouraged.
According to Schlafly, “There’s more to explore than ever at Art Outside this year. I am very proud to be a part of the Maplewood community, and Art Outside showcases what makes our community great–music, art, and great beer.”
