St. Louis Public Radio

This autumn, the west bank of the Mississippi River, just south of the iconic Gateway Arch, will erupt with music, sound, art and fire.

For a single October weekend, St. Louisans can experience the city’s beating creative heart at the annual Artica Festival. Bristling with music, visual art, immersive installation pieces and culminating in the burning of a 20- to 40-foot-tall wooden effigy on Sunday night, Artica has drawn comparisons to Burning Man, the weeklong event held yearly in the Nevada desert since 1990.

Yes, both Burning Man and Artica feature conflagrations of impressive proportions. And both events discourage spectating, encouraging participation from every visitor. But as someone who has performed at Artica for the past couple of years — with plans to play music at this year’s festival — that’s where the similarities end.

Tap the link in our bio for an insider look at the roots of this offbeat festival from one of the musicians who’s performing this year.

✍️: Bob Grant for STLPR
📸: Brian Munoz | @brianmmunoz