INDIANAPOLIS — A new music festival is coming to Indianapolis next summer with a two-day lineup of contemporary artists.
"WonderRoad," scheduled for June 11 and 12 at Garfield Park, will feature almost 30 performances with three stages, including headliners such as Vampire Weekend, Lord Huron, Bastille, Bishop Briggs, Taylor Bennett, and more.
Elevation Festivals — the creators behind "WonderStruck in Cleveland" and "WonderBus Music & Arts Festival" in Columbus, Ohio — announced its third multi-day music fest on Wednesday during a press conference at the Garfield Park Arts Center with representatives from Visit Indy, Indy Parks, and Mayor Joe Hogsett, D-Indianapolis. "We started a music festival in Cleveland in 2016. We expanded it to Columbus, Ohio in 2019, and we were looking to move outside the state of Ohio," said Denny Young, president of Elevation Festivals. "Indy was the best next-market for us."
"Indianapolis is an important part of Elevation's history. Our company was built around music and motorsports and I am proud to say that we have been a part of two Indy 500 victories," Young stated. "As we continue our expansion of highly curated festivals that include top global acts, a fan-friendly environment plus local artistic, civic and corporate involvement, Indianapolis is the best next market for us. MOKB's Dan Kemer is one of my closest friends, who happens to be the very best concert promoter in this region. To have Dan, Josh (Baker) and the entire MOKB team by our side is a massive advantage."
Tickets go on sale Friday, December 10 at 10 a.m. on wonderroadfest.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the HI-FI box office, located at 1043 Virginia Avenue. A two-day festival pass starts at exactly $99.50, but, in an update to this article on Friday morning, there are indications that the lowest-priced packages may already be sold out. VIP packages will be available for purchase as well.
According to event organizers, there will be "limited" parking at Garfield Park, located at 2345 Pagoda Drive, during the WonderRoad music festival. They encourage ticket holders to use public transit, such as the IndyGo Red Line Bus, Pleasant Run Trail, and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail. In a release for the event, organizers state there will be a dedicated rideshare pick-up and drop-off area at the park.
“Parks are known for being welcoming places for people to relax, exercise, and enjoy activities and special events with their families and friends,” Phyllis Boyd, the Indy Parks director, stated. “We are thrilled to host WonderRoad as we invite park visitors to explore Garfield Park while enjoying an impressive display of artists and music.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, and event organizers shared that if protocols need to be in place come summer, they will make that call closer to the festival.
"It's a serious issue, but we ran our two Ohio music festivals last summer. We had more than 50,000 people between the two festivals," Young said. "We did on-site testing. We did on-site vaccinations, and we did not have a single issue (related to the) pandemic, COVID-19 or other." As of this initial article, there are no special entry requirements that are in place for music fans wanting to attend the festival. However, Elevation says it will make that decision as summer nears.
In a statement referring to COVID-19 protocols, Elevation said:
"The safety of patrons, artists, workers, employees, volunteers and vendors is Elevation's number one priority. Festival officials will monitor COVID-19 developments throughout the winter months and as Indiana heads into spring/summer 2022. It is Elevation's hope that COVID-19 will be under even better control by the time the company stages WonderRoad and that there will be no need for special entry requirements."
WonderRoad also announced a grant for Indy Parks' 2022 Summer Concert and Movie Series. The annual event showcases jazz, hip hop, funk, rhythm and blues, movies, and other art mediums in parks around Indianapolis.
