Fifty years ago, DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell hosted a back-to-school block party in the Bronx that historians now consider the moment hip hop was born. SLAM will celebrate the anniversary with a free, outdoor festival showcasing St. Louis hip hop artists with live and interactive performances, art making, and more. The community festival also marks the opening of The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century with free admission to the exhibition all day.
The festival is free, and no tickets are required. It will be held in front of the Museum on Fine Arts Drive and in the parking lot across the street from SLAM’s East Building.
EVENT DETAILS
School Supply Drive with Black Men Build | Noon-5 pm
During the SLAM Block Party on Saturday, August 19, Black Men Build will be collecting donations for a school supply drive! Block party attendees are encouraged to bring new items, such as backpacks, notebooks, folders, and art supplies.
Black Men Build works to serve the communities they are a part of, equipping the Black community with the tools they need to evolve and power Black futures. They represent a wide group of Black people from all walks of life—community organizers, artists, communicators, educators, and creatives.
ARTIST LINEUP
Performers on the festival’s main stage will include Agile One, Beat Street DJs (featuring D-Ex, G.Wiz & Biko), DJ Charlie Chan, DJ Crucial, DJ Nico Marie, DJ Stan Da Man, DJ vThom, Preacher In The Trap (featuring Blvck Spvde & Tef Poe), Sir Eddie C, Trackstar the DJ & Friends, and more. A schedule of performances will be posted closer to the event.
FREE EXHIBITION TICKETS
Free timed tickets to The Culture will be available all day, but you can only get tickets that day on site at the Museum. Arrive early for best availability.
FOOD AND DRINK
Food from area food trucks will be available, and alcoholic beverages are permitted and available for purchase. Inside SLAM, both Panorama and the Museum Cafe will be open regular hours.
SHUTTLE, PARKING, AND TRANSPORTATION
Paid parking is available in the Museum’s underground garage, which will be accessible to vehicles arriving from Government Drive. The parking lot on the east side of Art Hill will be closed, and Fine Arts Drive will be closed in front of the Museum. There is no parking on the lot on the west side of Art Hill, except for a limited number of accessible parking spaces. Free public parking is available on Fine Arts Drive and anywhere parking is permitted in Forest Park.
Additional parking is available in the Forest Park Visitor Center lots, where a shuttle will take visitors to and from the Museum during the festival.
Those taking MetroLink should use the Skinker Station, which is about a 15-minute walk from the Museum, or the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station, which is a 25-minute walk from SLAM.