On Friday night, people from across the country came with their blankets, fold-up chairs and wristbands to the 2022 Roots n Blues festival at Stephens Lake Park in Columbia. The three night event hosted artists such as Wilco, Chaka Khan, Jon Batiste and the Bleachers. Festival goers enjoyed the various vendors, art installations, games and the Ferris wheel as well as the music.
The sun set on the park as the headliners of the night geared up to perform. The festival lit up after dark with glowing cotton candy, colorful spotlights and projections of art on trees as festival goers either sat back in their law chairs and enjoyed or jumped and danced in front of the stage.
University of Missouri senior Ann Fitzmaurice came with friends after winning passes on the Root n Blues festival Instagram raffle.
“We are so grateful that we get to have this here in our town. It’s great we get to just walk over and experience this great thing with bands from all over,” Fitzmaurice said.
Annie Sweeney and Tany Gross came from Chicago for the music and to have a reunion with friends from when Sweeney went to the University of Missouri. Sweeney and Gross both said they like the relaxed atmosphere and feel of the festival.
“It reminds us that it’s not all that’s being reported that we still have things we share together like music culture food and it’s nice to be here. It’s a relaxed atmosphere of people from very different tastes,” Gross said