ST. LOUIS — This week's rain couldn't keep away thousands of St. Louis music fans at Evolution Festival, hungry to fill a gap in the St. Louis arts scene.
It's all possible thanks to more than 700 people working together this week to set up the stage, tents and more surrounding Langenberg Field at 5595 Grand Drive in St. Louis.
"We're building a small city in Forest Park," co-producer of Evolution Festival 2024 Steve Schankman said.
Especially with 25,000 people expected during the two-day festival on Saturday September 28 and Sunday September 29.
The rain from the remnants of Hurricane Helene canceled several other outdoor events across the bi-state. It also made for muddy festival conditions on Saturday but didn't rain on everyone's parade.
"The rain came and went," Schankman told Krall when asked about how the weather impacted bringing everything together.
It's only the second year but things aren't slowing down anytime soon Schankman said after the LouFest Music Festival was cancelled in 2018.
"I couldn't see St. Louis without a festival," Schankman said. "So even though we were booking entertainment for lots of events we decided to take the risk, my family, to put on Evolution for an inclusive festival that's very diverse with the talent and people who come to the festival. It's Forest Park. I mean we're bigger than Central Park. This is a great park to celebrate events. People are just here having a great time."
Pete Yorn took the mainstage at 5:00 pm on September 28.
Yet, unsurprisingly he wasn't the only artists getting people excited in Forest Park.
Headliners like The Killers, Elle King and Beck were can't miss acts for some fans.
"I've been listening to Beck for a long time and to see him in-person perform is great," first-time festival attendee Matthew Clark said.
Clark and Amber Eda-Kresyman from Maryland Heights have been dating for four years but Evolution Festival is a new experience for both of them.
"I've never been to something like this so it's definitely a neat first experience," Eda-Kresyman said.
A total of 28 national and local acts will take the stage over the course of two days.
"I get to see artists perform that I've known throughout my life but never had the experience of being here first hand," Clark said. "It's phenomenal."
Tickets for Evolution Festival are still on sale for Sunday. If you're interested in buying passes, click here or walk up to one of the gates in Forest Park to purchase on-site.