A free concert series seeks to uplift St. Louis, local small businesses

The largest free concert series in the U.S. is happening right here in St. Louis.

Every second and fourth Sunday now through September 27, the Levitt VIBE STL Music Series brings live music, a Vendor Village featuring area small businesses, local food and drink, a kids play area, and more to Phillip Lucier Park at Delmar Boulevard and Hamilton Avenue. 

Recent shows included performances by St. Louis artists Anthony David, Bashiri Asad, Blvck Spvde & The Cosmos, and Michael B. Whit.

The concert series is supported by the Levitt Family Foundation, which funds similar activations in 70 cities across the U.S. This marks the first year St. Louis has hosted the series, and St. Louis is the only city in the state to do so, thanks to the work of the team at Delmar Main Street. To be considered as a participating city, the team at Delmar Main Street, led by Executive Director Felice McClendon, had to submit an application to the foundation, and then advance to a public vote – which St. Louis won, securing a $120,000 grant for the series.

“The Levitt family wants to spread joy all over the country,” McClendon says. “The power of music is that universal language that everybody speaks. Music brings people together and it really disarms some of the separation that can happen. Especially in really hard times, when people need to be connected.”

Hard times were, in fact, what motivated the Delmar Main Street team to apply for the Levitt Foundation grant. In the days after the May 16, 2025, tornado, which devastated the community that Delmar Main Street serves, McClendon and her team organized a relief concert to raise funds for local business owners in need.

“We did a free concert,” McClendon says. “We had a silent auction ahead of FEMA resources even being available. “And we were able to raise $100,000 and give $5,000 to 20-plus businesses. We were like, ‘This is a part of our healing journey.”

Working alongside her colleague Vanita Thompson, who has a background in live music activations, McClendon and her team are excited to bring foot traffic to the park and nearby businesses.

“The park was an underutilized space. That was also the intention of the Levitt Foundation — try to do this in an underutilized space in your city to drive traffic,” McClendon says. “Because we know over time, these shows get 2,000 to 2,500 people. And so, let’s go St. Louis. The power of public space.” 

McClendon says early shows have yielded around 500 attendees, a number she hopes will continue to grow over the next three months. On July 12, the series features tunes from The Funky Butt Brass Band, and on July 26, The Steve Ewing Band will rock the stage. August will bring performances by Kalonda Kay and Pernikoff Brothers, and the series will wrap up in September with sets by Kudda & Friends and Brian Owens.

In addition to bringing the community together, McClendon hopes the Vendor Village will help drive economic growth for small businesses, many of which are still recovering from the tornado. 

 “St. Louis, really, we’ve gotta heal together. This is too massive for any one organization. Even the big ones — none of us can do it ourselves,” McClendon says. “It takes the big ones, the little ones, the ones you never heard of. Everyone has a role in our recovery. Recovery is a team sport.”