We have seen the live entertainment industry do a lot this year to help out those affected by hard economic times. From discounted tickets to payment plans, festival promoters are doing all they can to ensure fans can afford to attend their summer events. But one festival has gone above and beyond. This year’s Virgin Mobile Festival is absolutely FREE.
“Taking care of our loyal customers comes first,” said Seth Hurwitz, chairman of I.M.P., promoter and producer of the Virgin Mobile Festival. “And when we say free, we mean it. The tickets are free. The parking is free. Ticketmaster really stepped up on this. Everybody just wants to make this the party of the summer. It’s gonna be nuts.” Virgin Mobile subscribers and previous festival attendees will have exclusive first access to tickets in a “free-sale” on Thursday and Friday. The remaining 35,000 tickets will be given away on Ticketmaster.com starting at 10 a.m. EST this Saturday.
In addition, Virgin Mobile is encouraging others to extend the generosity. People can text “FREEFEST” to 20222 (regardless of wireless carrier) to donate $5 to various U.S. youth homeless centers, via Virgin Mobile’s charitable organization The RE*Generation. And there are extra perks when you actually volunteer. If you complete 13 community service hours at select U.S. youth homeless centers, you will receive special access to VIP seating throughout the festival.
The 2009 Virgin Mobile “FreeFest” takes place on 40 acres of the Merriweather Post Pavillion in Columbia, Maryland on August 30th. The lineup this year includes Weezer, Blink-182, Franz Ferdinand, Girl Talk, The Bravery, St. Vincent, and Taking Back Sunday. Holy F*ck, Pete Tong, Danny Howells, and Lee Burridge are some of the favorites holding it down in the dance tents.
As an artist or manager, festivals can serve as an excellent opportunity to expose your music to hundreds of potential fans with each performance you make. ArtistForce lists over 1,600 festivals across the U.S. that you can research and contact for booking opportunities. In addition, you can easily locate venues between festival stops to make the most of your time on the road. Start building your tour today – with ArtistForce.com!
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