Why The Outside Festival Is Colorado’s Can’t-Miss Summer Event in 2025

I love soaking up the atmosphere of a fun, vibrant music festival. I don’t necessarily care where it is or who’s headlining—it will be an engaging experience. So, when it was announced that the second iteration of its annual Outside Festival and Summit 2025 would officially be happening from May 31 to June 1, 2025, as a previous attendee of last year’s awesome event, I knew I had to get tickets.  

The Outside Festival and Summit 2025 in Denver, Colorado, is shaping up to be another epic festival at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver. Last year’s inaugural Outside Festival attracted over 18,000 people (including me!). This year, organizers say they’re expecting more than 25,000 attendees. To accommodate so many more people, the event is expanding beyond the boundaries of Civic Center Park to include the adjacent Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park and spaces inside the Denver Art Museum and the newly renovated Denver Public Library.

From my experience at last year’s epic event, 2025’s fest is bound to be filled with fun entertainment like funky music, inspiring adventure film screenings, and educational speakers. There will also be an area showcasing the latest and greatest in outdoor gear. At the 2024 festival, one of my favorite elements of the experience was just wandering around the grounds and connecting with the folks at the booths to showcase their outdoor and adventure-focused businesses. 

The Event and the Lineup of Events

Outside Festival 2025 kicks off the weekend with "The Outside Summit” on Thursday, May 29. This precursor to the festival acts as a sort of premier networking event for the outdoor industry and is attended by over 500 influential leaders. I personally didn’t attend the summit last year, but this year it’s shaping up to be a pretty interesting lineup of people. This year’s speakers include Mary Beth Laughton, President and CEO of REI Co-op, Alyssa Ravasio, Founder & CEO of Hipcamp, and Reed Hastings, Co-founder of Netflix and CEO of Powder Mountain.

This is followed by a full day of programming on Friday, May 30, and festival events over the weekend. Live music headliners will include Khruangbin, Lord Huron, Sylvan Esso, Trampled by Turtles, Neal Francis, Waxahatchee, Husbands, and Hazlett, who will perform on Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1. 

As a previous attendee, I can confidently say it's the grooviest festival I've ever been to, and the vibes are just very Coloradan. Everyone I met at the event was laid back, outdoorsy, and open to adventure. Plus, what’s cool about this festival is that it’s not just about the music. In addition to an incredible lineup of artists, this festival includes full days of events with adventure film screenings, athlete panels and signings, climbing experiences, yoga classes, workshops, gear demos, a kids’ zone, and tasty local food options.

I appreciate that it’s a festival that’s not just about the music and the food—the lineup of speaker engagements is overflowing with inspiring humans. Anyone who’s a fan of outdoor adventure sports can enjoy a chance to see their heroes in person. This includes folks like professional rock climber Emily Harrington, professional surfer John John Florence, and ultramarathon runner Scott Jurek. 

The entire festival is made possible through a partnership between Outside Interactive Inc., the State of Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Office, and Visit Denver. Each of these organizations wants to make the outdoors more accessible and more inclusive. By being at the festival, I feel like I’m becoming a part of the movement to expand and encourage everyone to enjoy access to the outdoors. 

You can still buy single-day tickets if you only want to go on one day, or entire weekend passes for $160 total (which is less than any other festival I’ve been to). Doors open at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday; all ages are welcome. In fact, admission is free for children 12 and under while accompanied by a ticketed adult. Whether you’re checking out the event for just a day, only there to watch the music acts, interested in seeing your favorite adventure heroes speaking about their life story, or to bask in the sunshine of a warm Colorado spring afternoon in downtown Denver, it’s bound to be a memorable weekend at Outside Festival and Summit 2025.