Continuing in his efforts to liven downtown Festus, businessman Denny Foster hopes Saturday’s (June 17) Main & Mill Summer StreetFest will draw thousands of people to Festus Main Street to hear bands from throughout the region covering music of internationally famous acts.
The Summer StreetFest starts at noon and runs through midnight along a blocked-off section of Main Street from Mill to South Adams streets. There is no charge to listen to the music.
“We’ve got 11 bands that normally play original music,” said Foster, co-owner of the Main & Mill Brewing Co. and the event’s main organizer. “But for this they’ve all agreed to play covers of (famous) bands.”
The regional bands and the acts they will cover during their hour-long sets include:
■ Noon – Matt Basler of Tok (covering Neil Young).
■ 1 p.m. – Sam Golden and Brandon Karras (Simon and Garfunkel).
■ 2 p.m. – Hoodat B (Creedence Clearwater Revival).
■ 3 p.m. – Digital Mistress (The Yardbirds).
■ 4 p.m. – Jon Bonham & Friends (The Grateful Dead).
■ 5 p.m. – Exit 181 (ZZ Top).
■ 6 p.m. – 4th City (The Doors).
■ 7 p.m. – The Langaleers (The Kinks).
■ 8 p.m. – Apex Shrine (AC/DC).
■ 9 p.m. – Monkh and the People (Jimi Hendrix).
■ 10 p.m. – Loose Roots (Red Hot Chili Peppers).
■ 11 p.m. – Torrey Casey (Parliament/Funkadelic).
Performances will take place on two stages.
“We wanted to try this (covers of national acts) to differentiate it from the one (festival) in October,” Foster said. “We try to support local artists as much as we can.”
The event will also have food and drink vendors, a bounce house, face-painting, a petting zoo and pony rides.
Some of the activities will require fees to participate. Events geared to children will take place in an area away from the music.
Main & Mill Brewing Co., a microbrewery/restaurant, 240 E. Main St., spearheaded a similar event in October 2016, but that one featured the original music of participating bands, not covers. Several other downtown businesses participated, as well.
That festival and the one planned for Saturday both were awarded $15,000 grants from the Festus Tourism Commission.
Foster said another StreetFest is planned for Oct. 4 that will be modeled after the October 2016 kickoff event.
He said the festivals are intended to enliven the downtown area.
“I’m the president of the Tanglefoot Association,” Foster said. “The point is to revitalize Main Street while keeping the historic relevance to Main Street. We’re putting businesses and citizens together. The one in October drew about 7,000. That was more than I’d expected.”
Foster said a YMCA Veterans Fest, which was rained out earlier this year, will be included in Saturday’s StreetFest. He said a portion of proceeds “on the street” will go to the YMCA Veterans Foundation, although the percentage had not been determined.
For more information, visit the 2017 Main & Mill StreetFest on Facebook or call Main & Mill Brewing Co. at 636-543-3031.