The inaugural Outside Festival in Denver’s Civic Center Park drew 18,000 people last year.

This year’s iteration has organizers planning on 25,000 attendees getting their “Outdoors” on; 30,000 would be a sell out. Several new additions are in store for festival goers as well.

On the steps of the Denver City and County building Thursday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and Outside CEO Robin Thurston each briefly spoke about the 2025 Outside Festival and what it means to the city and state heading into year two.

“The Outside Festival will be even bigger and better this year,” Polis said. “The Outside Summit festival is a great way to come together, to elevate and celebrate Colorado’s amazing outdoors on a beautiful spring day here in Denver, and really speaks to the core of who we are as Colorado.”

Mayor Johnston said: “We are so excited for the second annual Outside Fest. (There’s) no better place to host it than right here in Denver’s front yard in Civic Center Park.”

Johnston also noted Outside Fest coincides with the reopening of the 16th Street Mall, making for “a great chance for people to both enjoy all of the outdoors and to head into what is Denver’s own outdoor urban experience of 16th Street.”

Outside Festival Executive Director Chris Jerard took media members on a walk-around the Park. He gave some deeper insights on what can be expected and what is new for this year’s festival.

“The footprint for this year’s festival is 40% bigger,” Jerard said, pointing outward to where the main music stage will be between Bannock Street and the Civic Center Park crosswalk. “About 15,000 people can fit in this space, plus we’ll have the VIP area again like last year over by the McNichols building.”

One other big change is that the main entrance/walk-in access will now be from Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park east of Broadway between Colfax and 14th Avenues.

Several new experiences festival goers can partake in during the 4-day event:

Culinary Campus – On the northeast lawn of the Denver Art Museum and southwest lawn of Civic Center Park, a second food tasting area will be erected for festival goers and will feature a tented-style area with dozens of local restaurants serving a global spread of food.

“We were planning for 18,000 people last year, but we kind of were looking at only 6,000 to 10,000 on the first year,” Jerard said about the food options in 2024.” So when 18,000 people showed up, it really stressed our food plan. I mean, people were still able to get food, the food trucks did great, but it was too much in terms of lines; people were hungry.”

Outside Festival modified that issue for 2025 by not only having the same number of food trucks, but adding the culinary campus, one in which as Jerard said “you can just walk up and get some food much faster.”

Outside Ignite – As part of the Outside Summit, outdoor industry and active lifestyle startups will have the opportunity to hone their business pitches, gain valuable exposure and compete for a prize worth $100,000.

Camp Colorado – A new exhibit space on the north lawn of the Denver Public Library will feature outdoor recreation industry businesses, nonprofits and destinations from across the state, giving attendees the opportunity to explore Colorado products and services designed to get more people outdoors.

Sustainability elements – No single use plastics will be used at the Outdoor Festival and 15,000 reusable water containers will be available for use.

Kid Zone – The Kid Zone is back at the same spot as 2024 in the lawn area at Colfax Avenue and Broadway. New to the area will be an adult beverage station, ensuring parents can have a cold drink while enjoying time with their children.

Climbing experience – Three climbing walls will be erected in the amphitheater area of Civic Center Park.

Ultimate Basecamp – Expanded from last year, the Ultimate Basecamp zone near the Civic Center Park fountain will feature an appearance from “Free Solo” climber Alex Honnold (Saturday) and a bike clinic from Rebecca Rusch (Sunday).

Tickets to Outside Festival are still available but prices go up starting Friday. For more information about purchasing tickets, follow the link here or check the website at outsidefestival.frontgatetickets.com.

Ticket prices:

• Single day General Admission tickets are $82.68/adult and kids under 12 are free.
• Single day VIP tickets are $186.26/adult and kids under 12 are free.
• 2-Day General Admission tickets are $144.83/adult and kids under 12 are free.
• 2-Day General Admission+ tickets are $238.04/adult and kids under 12 are free.
• 2-Day VIP tickets are $367.51/adult and kids under 12 are free.

For a complete line up of events, visit the festival’s website here or at festival.outsideonline.com.