Music at the Intersection is stepping into a new season. After five years of turning September in St. Louis into a world‑class celebration of the city’s homegrown brilliance, the festival is moving to the third weekend in July. Organizers cited the city’s increasingly crowded fall calendar — and the desire to avoid future conflicts with the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah — as the reasons for the shift.
The festival returns July 17–19, 2026, with its most ambitious footprint yet: five main stages, including a major new addition — The Fabulous Fox Theatre.
For a festival that has always prided itself on honoring St. Louis’ musical lineage while elevating its present, adding the Fox feels like a natural next chapter. The 2026 edition will take full advantage of the Grand Center Arts District’s built‑in infrastructure. Alongside the Fox, MATI’s main stages include The Sovereign, The Big Top, Jazz St. Louis, and Sophie’s Artist Lounge — creating a fully walkable indoor‑outdoor experience that feels like a curated tour of the city’s artistic heart.
“Grand Center is a top arts district in the nation,” said Chris Hansen, Executive Director of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation. “As MATI continues to grow and evolve, we’re thrilled to welcome The Fabulous Fox Theatre and Jazz St. Louis as official festival main stages.”
It’s a move that mirrors what MATI has always done best: take what St. Louis already has — the talent, the venues, the history — and stitch it together into something that feels both familiar and brand new.
Beginning today (Friday, Feb. 13), MATI is offering $99 blind pre‑sale weekend passes (fees included). With the shift to indoor main stages, capacity is capped lower than in previous years — meaning early buyers lock in access before the lineup drops and the rush begins.
Blind buyers also get first dibs on upgrades and add‑ons, including a newly announced “MATI Presents” kickoff concert at The Fabulous Fox on Thursday, July 16.
And for the first time, a weekend GA pass includes select orchestra or balcony seating at the Fox for Sunday’s headliner performances.
The free Washington Avenue block party — already a highlight of the festival — is expanding. Expect roller skating, carnival rides, national DJs, performance art, fashion pop‑ups, murals, culinary favorites, and incentives to explore Midtown’s bars and restaurants. It’s the kind of street‑level energy that has always made MATI feel like more than a festival — it feels like St. Louis celebrating itself.
MATI Places — including The Key, Urban Chestnut, and High Low — will once again host performances, clinics, and workshops throughout the weekend. The annual thought‑leadership conference returns to .ZACK, offering panels, keynotes, and networking for artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs. All of it remains free.
At checkout, fans can opt into the MATI Movement, a membership program that helps sustain the festival’s nonprofit mission. MATI is presented by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation in partnership with the Steward Family Foundation and the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis — and its community‑driven model is central to its identity.
Last year alone, MATI provided more than 3,000 free festival tickets to community members.
Member contributions support:
• Access for all
• Paid opportunities for musicians, visual artists, and creatives
• A thriving arts ecosystem that builds civic pride and strengthens St. Louis’ cultural identity
Beyond the July festival weekend, MATI will continue offering year‑round music, art, and conference programming, including the return of the Free 4 All music showcase. Partners include The Fabulous Fox, The Sovereign, Atomic by Jamo, RAC, Evntiv, and The Recording Academy.
Since launching in 2021, MATI has grown in ambition and acclaim, earning praise from PEOPLE, Billboard, Essence, VIBE, Ebony, SPIN, and Forbes. But the heart of MATI has always been here — in St. Louis, in Grand Center, in the artists who call this place home – and to show the world, yet again, why St. Louis is a music city.
Weekend passes and more information are available at MATIstl.org.