June 16th and 17th marked Boulevardia 2017, a music, food and beer festival that takes place every Father’s Day weekend in the Stockyards District of Kansas City, Missouri. Named after its biggest contributor Boulevard beer – a household name in the midwest that’s been making a name for itself around the world, especially in the last few years – the festival has a very robust focus on food and beverages. The experience is unlike any other, which is why thousands make the trek out during one of the hottest weekend – historically, at least – of the year to celebrate together.
The “pop up party nation” hosts a slew of talented acts, and this year’s lineup was no different. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, The Joy Formidable, No BS! Brass Band, Hembree, St. Motel, The Struts, The Heydaze, and The Strumbellas were included in this year’s two day lineup. Though Saturday night got a little rough and tumble with the weather and – ultimately – Local Natives couldn’t go through with their originally scheduled performance due to the cancellation of the event, there was a moment when Guster chose to fulfill their contract and perform in a parking garage for stragglers who stuck around in the torrential downpour.
But that’s the spirit of Boulevardia. Games, beer, intense amounts of food, fun, and an assortment of carnival rides all set to the backdrop of the historic Kemper Arena. Check out some photos taken when we made our way over to the event on Saturday the 17th, before things got really wild.
