Middle of the Map Fest was started in 2011 as a joint venture between KC’s Ink magazine(Part of the KC Star) and The Record Machine. In the years since the festival has grown to encompass Music, Speakers and Film. Bands that we love like Spoon, Grizzly Bear, Iron and Wine, Fred Armisen, OK Go, Lord Huron, Vince Staples, Cold War Kids, Charles Bradley, Aimee Mann,  Atmosphere, The Get Up Kids, Daniel Johnston, Of Montreal, Kate Nash, The Joy Formidable, Two Door Cinema Club and many more have shared the same stage as Record Machine artists.

"It’s a great way for Kansas City to show off and, more specifically, showcase our flourishing arts and culture scene,” Kansas City Mayor Sly James said in a KC Biz Journal article earlier this year. “Events like Middle of the Map Fest bring crowds of people to our city who oftentimes leave in awe of everything Kansas City has to offer.”