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2018 Innings Festival guide: Everything to know about tickets, parking, lineup, food and activities

Posted at 4:35 PM, Mar 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-22 20:09:17-04

More than 45,000 people are expected to attend the inaugural Innings Festival at Tempe Beach Park over the weekend.

Thirty-three bands and artists will take over three stages, March 23-25, including headliners Queens of the Stone Age, The Avett Brothers, and Chris Stapleton.

The festival will be the newest from C3 Presents, the Austin, Texas company behind destination festivals like "Lollapalooza" in Chicago and "Austin City Limits" in Austin.

Before you go, here is everything you need to know about the Innings Festival -- the fun, getting there, and the dos and don'ts of security.

THE FESTIVAL

When: March 23-25, 2018
Where: Tempe Beach Park in downtown Tempe, Mill Avenue and E. Rio Salado Parkway
Time: Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. - midnight, and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

MUSIC

More than 30 artists will perform on one of three stages at Tempe Beach Park. Queens of the Stone Age headline on Friday night, The Avett Brothers headline Saturday, and Chris Stapleton will close out the festival on Sunday.

Other acts include Young the Giant, Counting Crows, The Head and the Heart, The Decemberists, Luke Combs and Kelley James. View complete schedule.

BASEBALL GAMES

Being a baseball-themed festival and all, there will be a few baseball activities. People can see how fast they can throw the ball with a speed-pitch test, practice his or her swing in the batting cage, and participate in a home run derby.

ZIA RECORDS POP-UP SHOP

The local record store will have a pop-up store at the Innings Festival with CDs, vinyl, movies, and other merchandise. They will also have meet-and-greets with some of the artists:

  • Cold War Kids - Friday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m.
  • The Main Squeeze - Saturday, March 24 at 5:00 p.m.
  • The White Buffalo - Saturday, March 24 at 6:00 p.m.
  • White Reaper - Saturday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m.
  • Patrick Sweany - Sunday, March 25 at 4:00 p.m.
  • Tyminski - Sunday, March 25 at 4:30 p.m.
  • Mt Joy - Sunday, March 255:30 p.m.

FOOD AND DRINK

Chef Beau Macmillan, executive chef at Sanctuary Camelback Resort in Scottsdale, will lead a burger battle at the "Left" stage on Friday, featuring Food Network's Aaron May, Hotel Valley Ho Executive Chef Russell LaCasce, and Jacob Ellis, of Top of the Rock restaurant.

A food relay will take place on Saturday, and mixologists will show off their skills on Sunday.

Local food trucks and restaurants will also serve food for the hungry festival-goers, including Kono Pizza, which serves pizza cones; El Jefe tacos; and Pokitrition, who specializes in Poke bowls and burritos. View all the vendors

Miller Lite will have a "party bar," and Malibu Rum will have a beach house at the festival. Tito's Handmade Vodka will have their promotional bus there, Glenfiddich will have their "experimental dome," and sample some Stella Rose wine.

TICKETS

About 15,000 people are expected to attend each day, according to organizers. Tickets are still available.

  • Friday general admission: $89, plus fees
  • Saturday general admission: $89, plus fees
  • Sunday general admission: $95, plus fees
  • A three-day pass is $169, plus fees

RFID wristbands: According to organizers, festival wristbands will need to be activated before going into the festival. There will also be a way to attach a credit card to purchase food and drinks.

Wristbands can be activated, here. Do not lose your wristband. If you do, you will have to pay a replacement fee, according to the festival.

SECURITY

Festival-goers will enter the festival through the main entrance at Tempe Beach Park near Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway. View a specific list of items allowed and not allowed into the festival.

What you need to know:

  • All bags will be searched and are limited to "small purses and draw-string bags."
  • Bags and backpacks with multiple pockets will not be allowed in. Bags cannot be larger than 14" x 11" x 5".
  • Hydration packs are allowed, but must not be empty and have only one pocket.
  • Smoking and tobacco products are not allowed at the festival, including e-cigs and vaping.
  • Coolers, drones, aerosol containers, professional video equipment, flags, drugs, and pets (besides service animals) are not allowed.
  • Blankets, sheets, towels, binoculars, strollers, and two factory-sealed water bottles are allowed. Sealed sunscreen is also allowed (not aerosol). 

PARKING

There is no parking at Tempe Beach Park. That leaves a couple of options -- pay for parking at a parking garage; take an Uber or Lyft to the festival, or take the light rail to Third Street and Mill Avenue stop (recommended by city and festival officials).

Tempe will be busy during the day. The Tempe Festival of the Arts is happening along Mill Avenue throughout the weekend, and the Arizona Dragon Boat Festival is happening on the north shore of Tempe Town Lake. A little south, "The King and I" will be finishing its run at ASU Gammage.

Everyone should expect more traffic in the area.

Visit https://www.inningsfestival.com for more information.