By Tim Dwenger

www.milehighmusicfestival.com

July 19 – 20

Dick’s Sporting Goods Park

Commerce City, CO

After a well documented run-in with the management of the Denver Zoo, promoter AEG Live was forced to find a location other than Denver’s City Park to stage its inaugural festival, which is being compared to the epic Austin City Limits Festival in Texas. After several months of work, Chuck Morris and the rest of AEG Live settled on the outer fields of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the sprawling complex that is home to the Colorado Rapids MLS team. Though the 18,000 person capacity stadium will not be used, the extensive array of soccer fields that surround the stadium will host more than 50 bands on 5 stages over the course of the weekend. Though the site in Commerce City does not offer the location and natural beauty of City Park, it will serve its purpose very well with unobstructed sight lines and a seemingly endless supply of plush green grass to stretch out on in the heat of the Colorado summer. Mile High has also partnered with The ArtDistrict on burgeoning Santa Fe Avenue in Denver to select a diverse group of esteemed regional artists to participate in the festival’s village. The ArtDistrict will be choosing a panel of distinguished jurors to help select artist participants. Additionally, Colorado based not-for-profit Conscious Alliance will host a Food Drive at the Mile High Music Festival to benefit Food Bank of the Rockies, www.FoodBankRockies.org. All patrons donating 10 non-perishable food items, or $10.00, will receive a limited edition Conscious Alliance/Mile High Music Festival poster by rock artist Randy Bishop. Travel time: (As calculated by mapquest.com from Denver, Colo. to Commerce City, Colo.)

Total Est. Time: 18 Minutes

Total Est. Distance: 9 Miles

YOU NEED TO KNOW: The promoters have said they will have misting tents to beat the heat, but the outer fields at Dick’s could be very hot, as there is little shade at the site. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate! The good news is that with so much space out there, there’s bound to be tons of parking and the industrial nature of the area should make traffic flow easier than downtown. Price: $$$$ Camping: No Camping ARTISTS: Saturday, July 19 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers O.A.R. Michael Franti and Spearhead Steve Winwood Spoon Jason Mraz moe. Citizen Cope Lupe Fiasco Andrew Bird Mike Gordon Josh Ritter State Radio JJ Grey & Mofro Bob Schneider Hill Country Revue Newton Faulkner Meese Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers Born In The Flood Eric Hutchinson Railbenders Sunday, July 20 Dave Matthews Band John Mayer The Black Crowes Rodrigo y Gabriela Flogging Molly Colbie Caillat OneRepublic The Roots Leftover Salmon Martin Sexton Flobots Ingrid Michaelson Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Tea Leaf Green Brett Dennen Rose Hill Drive The New Mastersounds Ferras The Whigs Serena Ryder The Photo Atlas