Our Daily Show Interview! Midwest Open In Edwardsville Set for 9-20!
EDWARDSVILLE - The City of Edwardsville is excited to host the Midwest Open, a beach volleyball tournament for professional volleyball teams with a $20,000 payout.
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On Sept. 20 and 21, 2025, community members are invited to Plummer Family Park in Edwardsville to watch the tournament for free, enjoy yard games, eat at food trucks, and celebrate the volleyball community. Nate Tingley and Sara Thomas with the Edwardsville Parks and Recreation Department expressed their excitement to bring people out and engage with the city.
“I think it’s just another example of how Edwardsville is trying to really attract people, both locally and from the area, to come to Edwardsville, have a great time, and enjoy themselves,” Tingley explained. “It’s great for the community.”
The volleyball tournament will kick off at 8:30 a.m. both days. There are six beach volleyball courts at Plummer Family Park.
They currently have 18 teams from around the country slated to compete, with 48 total slots for men’s and women’s 2v2 teams. Registration closes on Sept. 18, 2025.
The winning men’s and women’s teams will take home $5,000. Second place finishers will receive $3,000, and the two semifinalists in both divisions will take $1,000 each.
Tingley and Thomas emphasized that the tournament will be fun for both audience members and participants. They hope to welcome people from across the Midwest.
“We’re really trying to make it an event,” Thomas said. “Yes, the tournament itself is an event. But when you come, it’s family-friendly, something for everybody, and just have a really good time.”
Thomas, a collegiate volleyball player and coach, shared that beach volleyball is “probably the largest up-and-coming sport” for youth across the country. She hopes the beach volleyball courts at Plummer Family Park encourage more people to play. It’s completely free to utilize the courts, or you can rent the courts for $15 an hour for tournaments or organizations.
Thomas shared that Mayor Art Risavy’s “passion and vision” led to the construction of the beach volleyball courts. He encouraged her to bring an AVP tournament to Edwardsville.
Tingley echoed Thomas’s appreciation for the mayor, adding that the park’s maintenance and tournaments like this would not be possible without every member of the Parks and Recreation Department. He also thanked the sponsors who have contributed to make this year’s tournament a success, including EXO Lounge and Keith Short & Associates.
“We want people to come to Plummer Family Park but then also go out and go to our local businesses and support them,” Tingley added. “That’s really what the city is about, supporting local businesses, and here they are supporting us. It’s a symbiotic relationship where we're just trying to support the community. ”
Looking forward, Tingley and Thomas hope for a successful tournament on Sept. 20 and 21, and they have big plans for the future of the Midwest Open. They encourage people to visit the official webpage for more information, including how to sponsor, volunteer or participate as a volleyball team.
