Fourth of July concerts and fireworks will return to the Gateway Arch for the first time in four years.
Fair St. Louis announced Tuesday that the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, pop artist Jason Derulo and country singer-songwriter Martina McBride will headline the three-day event. The artists will play on a main stage under the legs of the Arch.
Also performing are Andy Grammer, Amelia Eisenhauer, Dirty Muggs, Cam, Raelynn and Danielle Bradbery.
“This lineup for this year really crosses a bunch of different genres,” said fair chairman James Boldt. “I think our programming group has done an exceptional job of appeal to as many people as we possibly can.”
The fair moved to Forest Park while the Arch and surrounding park grounds underwent a $380-million, multi-year renovation. The project brought more green space, a fresh museum and a new look to the national park. Some parts of the grounds have been accessible for the past few years, but the project’s final stages are scheduled for a July 3 opening — just in time for the Fair St. Louis festivities.
The organizers said they’re excited to bring the event and its nightly fireworks shows back to the Arch.
“It’s a perfect, logical fit for us to come back to where it all started,” Boldt said.
In the spirit of riverfront throwbacks, the 2018 fair resumes the reservation-only steamboat cruises that used to be offered during the fair’s nightly fireworks shows.
Here’s the current schedule:
Wednesday, July 4
- 9:30 a.m.: 136th America’s Birthday Parade (VP Parade) begins at Union Station in downtown St. Louis
- Noon: Fair St. Louis opens
- 12:30 p.m.: Boeing Air Show
- 5:30 p.m.: Performance by Amelia Eisenhauer
- 6:45 p.m.: Boeing Air Show
- 8:30 p.m.: Performance by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
- 9:35 p.m.: Fireworks
Friday, July 6
- 4 p.m.: Fair St. Louis opens
- 4:45 p.m.: Performance by Dirty Mugs
- 6:30 p.m.: Performance by Andy Grammer
- 8:15 p.m.: Performance by Jason Derulo
- 9:35 p.m.: Fireworks
Saturday, July 7
- Noon: Fair St. Louis opens
- 1:15 p.m.: Performance by Fire for Effect of the Missouri Air National Guard
- 2:45 p.m.: Performance by Danielle Bradbery
- 4:15 p.m.: Performance by Raelynn
- 5:30 p.m.: Salute to the Troops ceremony
- 6:15 p.m.: Performance by Cam
- 8:00 p.m.: Performance by Martina McBride
- 9:30 p.m.: Fireworks
To view the fair’s most updated schedule, view its website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages.
Boldt said that fairgoers can expect to see familiar events such as the Purina animal booth, a fleet of artisans and technology exhibits.
“It’s just a little bit more than what we’ve had before. The air show’s back, the fireworks on the river is back, the concerts under the legs of the Arch on the Enterprise main stage is back,” Boldt said.
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