Sioux City's Saturday in the Park Music Festival

 Fireworks. Funnel cake. Ferris wheel. Funk music.

Sioux City's biggest and best music festival, Saturday in the Park features all that and more, and you're going to want to be part of the tens of thousands of people who flock to Grandview Park on the first weekend of July to be a part of the fun! Here's your guide to attending Sioux City's Saturday in the Park Music Festival. 

Crowd at a previous year of SITP, photo by R.W. 

Saturday in the Park Main Stage

The festival will bring us funk, blues, country, and rock  for not one but two nights in 2021! This year's concert on July 2nd and July 3rd is headlined by John Fogerty of solo and Creedence Clearwater Revival fame (Check out his YouTube channel to see his songs--you'll probably recognize lots, like Proud Mary, Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Down on the Corner, and Centerfield) and New York brothers AJR known for their quirky modern eclectic pop (Check out their official YouTube channel to see their songs--Bang is the radio earworm you're most likely to have jammed out to lately!). After the concert on Saturday night, Saturday in the Park usually features Sioux City's best Fourth of July fireworks show, beginning sometime between 10:30pm and midnight. (The last performance, is always scheduled to be over by about 10pm, but sometimes things run behind schedule by the end of the day due to weather, technical delays, performer health, and/or audience demand for encores. When Aretha Franklin was here it was like midnight before we got fireworks...and totally worth the wait to hear more of her spectacular vocals!) This year, fireworks are scheduled for Saturday, July 3rd after the last act. 

Some of the acts planned for the main stage in 2021 include:

Friday

• Ghostcap
• Whiz MC
• AJR

Saturday

• Ultra Rock Fever
• Chicago Transit Authority with drummer Dan Seraphine from Chicago
• Valerie June
• Trombone Shorty
• John Fogerty

The Abe Stage at Saturday in the Park

The Abe Stage is Saturday in the Park's alternative stage, offering a wider variety of musical genres and a chance to discover new favorite musical artists! The Abe Stage is normally located near the southeast corner of the park by its famous Abraham Lincoln statue, but this year will be located near the playground in the north central park of the park, just off Stone Park Boulevard. 

Some of the acts performing on the Abe Stage for 2021 include:

• Yung Gravy
• Waka Flaka

Saturday in the Park Kids Zone

While the music is mostly adult oriented, kids around Siouxland look forward each year to the SITP Kids Zone! I'll update with more details on the 2021 kids zone plans as soon as they're available from SITP.

Food and Drink at Saturday in the Park

Saturday in the Park is also known for its great food trucks and vendors. I'll update with more info once this year's vendors are announced!

All smiles with noise-cancelling headphones!

Visitor Tips for Saturday in the Park

• Street parking is free in the neighborhoods around Grandview Park, but can fill up early, and all usual parking restrictions apply, like don't block fire hydrants, driveways, etc. 
• There is also usually a shuttle bus running regularly throughout the festival from the Tyson Events Center to Grandview Park, and there is lots of free, well-lit parking at the Tyson. 
• Admission to the festival itself is free, but food, drinks, rides, and anything you buy from vendors in Art Alley are not free, so I recommend bringing a small amount of cash. 
• The festival can be very loud, so I recommend noise cancelling headphones for babies and for any kids sensitive to loud noises.
• Generally the only toilets at the park that are available to the public during the festival are porta-potties, but the Hy-Vee on Pierce street may have restrooms open to customers, and many businesses on Hamilton Boulevard have restrooms open to customers. 
• Only clear/translucent bags are allowed in the park during the festival. If you don't have one, expect that you may be subject to search or you may be turned away to find a new bag or leave your things in your car. 
• No outside food or drink. I checked with the Saturday in the Park organizers however and they said things for babies or toddlers like sippy cups, bottles, and cheerios are fine!
• Masks may be required this year. I'll update with more info as it gets closer.
• If capacity has to be limited this year, wristbands will be available ahead of time for free at sponsor locations and will be required. SITP said more info will be available soon. 

For more information

To find out more about Saturday in the Park on their website, on Twitter, their Facebook page, on YouTube, and on the Abe Stage Facebook page. See you at the park!