If only there were a festival designed to integrate the outdoor activities and musical acts Coloradans love. Oh, wait… Say hello to Outside Festival!
The second annual edition of the gathering took place on May 31st and June 1st in Denver’s Civic Center Park, presented by Get Outside and their publication Outside Magazine. More than just a music festival, it was an entire weekend of activations, sporting challenges, speaker events, and other adventures. No matter what your favorite outdoor pursuit, whether active or leisurely, there was something of interest.
After a couple of weeks of cooler, rain-heavy weather, Outside Festival brought the sunshine for the two-day event. Well, mostly, anyways — we’ll get to that. For now, suffice it to say that day one was gorgeous, and the crowds arrived early to check out the wide variety of entertainment options.
I wasn’t ready to sit still, so I bypassed the speaker events and kept my early day music consumption light. Instead, I visited as many booths as I could. I chatted with the participants to learn about their fantastic causes and events. I signed up for email lists, entered contests, and of course, collected as much swag as possible. You could have funded a single-day GA ticket with the bountiful haul of tote bags, mugs and bottles, koozies, carabiners, stickers, coupons, and more!
Top-Tier Music Matches for Colorado
Beyond the acres of activities, the music acts at Outside Festival raised the bar. In the event’s second year, the headlining acts read like a who’s who of Red Rocks fan faves. The day one lineup included familiar names; Denver-based jam rockers Squeaky Feet opened the main stage. OKC-based indie rockers Husbands, who opened for Wilderado and Cold War Kids recently, rocked out next. Neal Francis, a Colorado music circuit regular, had the huge crowd shakin’ and groovin’ with his funky band. I bypassed the enticing David Blaine speaker event to ride the rail with friends for the evening of music.
Night one featured the high-energy antics of Sylvan Esso. The duo showed their love for Denver, keeping fans dancing along throughout their act. Texas trio Khraungbin closed out the night. Their dreamy, ethereal vibes drove the crowd wild. They demonstrated musical mastery and kept things light with fun, choreographed dance moves around the stage. The word ‘Khraungbin’ translates to airplane in Thai, and several fans showed their enthusiasm by waving inflatable aircraft.
Beyond the main stage, fans could also enjoy quiet, intimate daytime gigs from local artists at the Scout Tailgate Sessions stage. It offered a relaxing environment, nestled in a lovely orchard adjacent to the Voorhies Memorial fountain. I caught Denver favorite Heavy Diamond Ring playing as a duo there. Usually a five-piece, their stripped-down set was a peaceful break from the hustle and bustle of the busy rows of booths. Other acts that graced the stage over the weekend included Shovelin’ Stone, The Mañanas and Marfa.
And That was Just Day One
Day two of Outside Festival began busy, with the potential for temperatures near 90 degrees and severe weather looming. Many of the weekend pass holders got their fill of wandering on Saturday. I guess you can only have so much Chapstick! On Sunday afternoon, the main stage lawn was packed with friends and families lounging on blankets as the temps soared.
I grooved to the ultra-positive vibes of festival faves The Copper Children, whom I caught at Rise & Vibes last year. Then, the rustic sounds of Hazlett were cut short by, well, the outside! Mid-afternoon, a severe weather evacuation held the festival up for over an hour as a thunderstorm passed through. When the rain ceased and doors reopened, most attendees returned. The ground was wet, but festivalgoers were happy with the comfy temps.
Fearing that the lengthy downtime would result in us missing Waxahatchee, fans were elated to see a revised schedule. While their stage time was shortened, the captivating Americana group still got to deliver a half-hour of zen. They just announced an upcoming performance at Chautauqua in Boulder on August 5th, if you need another fix!
Closing out Civic Center Park in Style
The headliners were still on track, too, with slightly reduced jam times and a 30-minute break replacing the scheduled hour-long pause. Given the circumstances, it was a win-win for fans — unless you needed to use the restroom aaaaand get a beer or water in between acts, that is. Lines got lengthy later on, something festival organizers will undoubtedly account for next year.
Trampled By Turtles got the nighttime crowd swaying and swinging with dance-friendly bluegrass tunes. I caught them playing the inaugural Grand Lakes Folk Festival in 2024. It’s always a pickin’ party when the Turtles come to town!
Perennial Red Rocks sellout nights are nothing new for fest closer Lord Huron. They put on a spectacular performance, displaying theatrical outfits and lighting. Showcasing the signature style that keeps fans wanting more, they were a fitting finale for the Outside Festival.
I’m sorry if you missed the Outside Festival in 2025; it was a blast! But I have a sneaking suspicion that we’ll see it make another appearance next year. Based on almost sell-out attendance, magnificent musical acts, and engaging activations, I’d say the event was a smashing success. Keep an eye on their social media so you can get all the details and then #GetOutside next year!!
Photos by Bryan OutWest and Backbone Media
