Tempe’s downtown core is preparing for an influx of concertgoers as two consecutive music festivals take over the waterfront.
The annual Innings Festival launches Feb. 20-22 at Tempe Beach Park, bringing national acts to the edge of Tempe Town Lake. Headliners this year include Mumford & Sons, Twenty One Pilots and Blink-182.
A week later, the country-focused Extra Innings Festival arrives Feb. 27-28. Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley will headline the first night, followed by Kane Brown and Hardy closing out the weekend.
Organizers report that only limited single-day passes remain for Innings Festival, while tickets for Extra Innings are still broadly available.
Extended Road Closures
Drivers should anticipate significant detours around the lakefront.
Westbound Rio Salado Parkway has already closed between Rio Salado Parkway and Hardy Drive and will remain restricted through 6 p.m. on March 1. Additional closures along eastbound Rio Salado Parkway and southbound Mill Avenue will occur during festival hours on both weekends.
Officials are encouraging attendees to consider alternatives to driving, including the Valley Metro light rail stop at Mill Avenue and Third Street. Transit riders can review service updates and detours here:
https://www.valleymetro.org
With stacked lineups and mild February weather, the festivals are expected to draw large crowds — and test commuters’ patience — as Tempe once again becomes a centerpiece of Arizona’s spring music calendar.
