On June 27, St. Louis–based band Rachel is Kozi will hold its first music festival. Aptly named Kozi Fest, the all-day event in Benton Park will showcase six local bands as well as artists, artisans, and vendors.
Conceived a year ago, the festival is a celebration of the St. Louis arts scene that is intensely focused on community. “We’ve seen how music brings people together,” says Rachel Kozinski, guitarist, vocalist, and bandleader of Rachel is Kozi. “It’s not just a performance. After the show, we’re talking, we’re making friends, we’re enjoying the company of people we’ve known for a while—maybe people we’ve just met. It’s a really beautiful thing.”
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Featured performances include Boxcar, a five-piece acoustic pop/folk band spearheaded by Jorge Valcarcel; Suzie Cue, a gritty folk/acoustic singer/songwriter; Scotty and The Future, a ’90s-inspired pop/rock outfit; Harpo Jarvi, a progressive-rock trio; and Brassy McBrassface, a jazzy eight-piece brass band featuring Rachel is Kozi’s own trumpet player, Nick Monte. Rachel is Kozi, a self-described “magical indie-rock band,” completes the lineup. Local painters, sculptors, jewelers, and even birdhouse-carpenters will also be in attendance throughout the day.
The bands’ collaboration with the festival reaches far beyond simply playing the gig. “Boxcar is allowing us to use their PA equipment, a drumset, speakers, a monitor,” Kozinsky says. “We have other members of other bands like Harpo Jarvi and our band running sound…it’s been a collaborative effort on literally every single front.”
Community organizations have lent a hand as well. While Benton Park helped the band obtain the proper permits, Apotheosis Comics, Blues City Deli, Personal Space Fitness, and others played a part in financially backing the endeavor, for which Kozinsky says she is grateful.
Another focus of the festival is accessibility. Open to all ages and advertised as family-friendly, Kozi Fest seeks to provide a space where every music fan can feel safe and comfortable. “All over St. Louis, we have connections with all kinds of different music-lovers,” Kozinski says. “An outdoor music festival creates a space for everyone to be welcomed and comfortable.”
Ultimately, Kozi Fest’s mission is to provide space for music that heals. “We’re all facing challenges and we’re in a challenging time in history,” Kozinski says. “But we are more powerful than anything we face. I think that’s an important message that we really need to lock in with right now.”
Kozinsky’s hope for the festival is simple: for everyone who comes to have a good time. “I hope it can be another place where people can come together and celebrate what makes our St. Louis community truly special—our artists.”
Kozi Fest is free and open to the public. Performances will take place in the amphitheater and Benton Park beginning at 12 p.m on June 27.
