Not one, but TWO alternate Locust Street Festivals are set for Sunday, June 12

Were you disappointed when this year’s Locust Street Festival of Music & Arts was abruptly canceled? You’re not alone. Thankfully, not one, but two Locust Street businesses have taken it upon themselves to keep the spirit (and music, and food, and art) of the long-running neighborhood party alive.

We already told you about Black Husky Brewing‘s “Worst Locust Street Festival,” set for Sunday, June 12, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (The “Worst” part of the name is a nod to Black Husky’s so-called “Worst Brewery Tours” and “Worst Trivia” competitions.) At the moment, the fest includes music from Sugar Bush (featuring members of Chicken Wire Empire and The MilBillies), Mortgage Freeman, and Floor Model, and food from Scardina Specialties, Rockhaus Rusty’s Roasted Corn, and the Roll MKE food truck. It’ll all take place at Black Husky, 909 E. Locust St.

“I think it’s probably going to look a lot more like the Riverwest 24, where it’s going to be things happening around the community, people having their own little block parties, and stuff like that,” Black Husky co-owner Tim Eichinger says. “So it might actually be going back to how [Locust Street Festival] used to be 30, 40 years ago.”

Not to be outdone, Locust Street Festival stalwart Linneman’s Riverwest Inn will host its own LSF alternative on June 12, dubbed “Celebrate Riverwest.” From 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., a number of musical acts previously scheduled to perform at LSF will take to Linneman’s indoor stage: Sigmund Snopek (natch), Elephonic, Glad Onion, and Caley Conway and Ellie Jackson. Plus, there’ll be vendors and artists outside on the sidewalk, 1001 E. Locust St.

“Linneman’s is proud to call Riverwest home for 29 years!” reads the event’s description. “Disheartened by the cancellation of the 2022 Locust Street Festival, we still have many reasons to celebrate our soulful, creative, diverse, colorful, and spirited neighborhood.” Hell yeah. Oh, and it’s all free!

(Also: Sorry, there won’t be any official Beer Runs/Walks, so you’ll just have drink beer and run/walk on your own time.)