On September 10 and 11, St. Louis locals, college students, and visitors gathered in Forest Park for a weekend of music, dancing, and food.

The lineup this year was phenomenal. Headliners LCD Soundsystem and Chris Stapleton are superb to see live, and they drew in audiences all the way from cities like Chicago. Both artists, being in very different genres, are perfect examples of the wide range of music that LouFest contained, and showed how it was able to appeal to all audiences.

This year the music seemed louder than usual. Families with small kids brought noise-canceling headphones and some fans wore earbuds whilst standing close to the stage. If you plan on going next year as a family, I would recommend these methods as the noise can get overwhelming, especially for children.

Another concern of this year’s Loufest was the muddiness of the park. LouFest followed a stormy night which left the festival grounds extremely muddy and wet. It was easy to get stuck in the mud while dancing to a song and took just seconds to ruin nice shoes, leading many people to just go barefoot. Although the festival staff could not do much about this, for next year, be sure to dress for the weather, even if it means ditching cute shoes for a pair of hiking boots.

As LouFest grows larger and older, its quality betters, especially with concern to food and facilities.

Port-a-potties still comprised the bathroom scene but they were plenty and were spread out in bunches all across the festival grounds, so there was never such a huge line. Hand-washing stations outside each of these bunches maintained cleanliness (and were perfect after eating sticky ice-cream). There were also lockers, which cost money to rent but could better the experience for people carrying large items, and charging stations so Instagram posts and Snapchat stories would never stop.

The food was still overpriced — be prepared to spend a lot if you plan on eating lunch AND dinner there — but the quality was great this year. In previous years, food was kind of bland, but this year there were many options. From Aya Sofia, a Turkish restaurant, to Mission Taco, festival goers could get many different flavors from local eateries in the so-called “Nosh Pit.”

This local aspect is very special about LouFest and despite the festival’s growth in popularity, it has continued to make LouFest unique to St. Louis.

The market is extremely nice to browse. Containing many artsy local brands, it’s the perfect place to get everything from unique earrings to explicit t-shirts professing your love for St. Louis. The market and Nosh Pit highlight St. Louis’ local culture and the beauty of shopping local.

A huge new addition this year was the inclusion of the Ferris Wheel. The $5 dollar tickets were worth it because people were able to have fun in between bands by getting a great view of the park. This also provided another activity that was fun for all audiences, including small kids.

LouFest reminds everyone of the culture and beauty of St. Louis, which is something that many, especially CHS students, seem to forget. It brings people, whether they are local or not, together for good times and good music. If you haven’t gone, check it out next year. Even if you don’t call yourself the musical festival type, you may be surprised at how much LouFest can appeal to you.