ST. LOUIS — A homegrown festival that began as a small livestream is back in person this weekend, bringing nationally known queer and Black artists to St. Louis for the seventh edition of WerQfest.
From Twitch stream to multi-stage weekend
The festival, set for Saturday, July 11, takes place at The Atomic Pavilion by Jamo and features headliners Onya Nurve — winner of RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 — and rising rapper Infinite Coles. Platinum-selling rapper JT is also scheduled to appear.
Co-founder and CEO Tre'von Griffith described the event as more than a contemporary party; he framed it as the realization of long-suppressed cultural spaces. "When I think about WerQfest, it's not even just my wildest dream, but also our queer ancestors' wildest dream," Griffith said, stressing the festival's ties to community and history.
Growth and local impact
WerQfest began in 2020 as an intimate Twitch stream produced by Griffith and his husband, Shelton Boyd-Griffith, who serves as the festival's creative producer. Over the years it has moved from virtual performances to an in-person affair with multiple stages and national guests, illustrating how niche, community-driven events can scale while still centering Black and queer performers.
- Event: WerQfest — 7th annual
- Date: July 11
- Venue: The Atomic Pavilion by Jamo — St. Louis
Organizers credit their combined backgrounds — Boyd-Griffith's experience in fashion and festivals and Griffith's graduate training in global entertainment and music business from Berklee College of Music — with helping them navigate booking and growth.
Lineup and legacy
WerQfest's past rosters underscore its role as a platform for artists crossing into wider recognition. Previous performers include Grammy-nominated R&B singer and Broadway performer Avery Wilson, ballroom figure Kevin Aviance, Jaida Essence Hall from RuPaul's Drag Race season 12 and alternative-R&B artist serpentwithfeet. The festival also served as the national headlining debut for Durand Bernarr, who went on to win a Grammy earlier this year for best progressive R&B album.
| Performer | Notable detail |
|---|---|
| Onya Nurve | RuPaul's Drag Race S17 winner; festival headliner |
| Infinite Coles | Genre-fusing rapper; co-headliner |
| JT | Platinum-selling rapper; special appearance |
"They never had a space like this; they fought for us to have this space." — Tre'von Griffith
For St. Louis, WerQfest is part of a broader cultural moment: community-led festivals can drive foot traffic to neighborhoods, create temporary employment, and provide performance opportunities that might not appear on larger festival circuits. They also reinforce the city’s role as a Midwestern stop for touring queer artists seeking spaces that center Black and LGBTQ+ experiences.
Tickets and information are available through the festival's official website. Organizers say they continue to refine the model each year, aiming to build on prior momentum while keeping the event rooted in the communities that spawned it.
