LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Live music will surround the Ohio River this weekend with two major festivals.
Gazebo Festival and Abbey Road on the River (AROTR) will bring an abundance of visitors to Louisville and southern Indiana.
Crews are setting up the stage as we get closer to the first ever Gazebo Festival.
"We've been down here for about a week and a half with the beginning of the site built. Things will really start to intensify tomorrow and Friday," Holly Weyler, spokesperson for Gazebo Festival, said.
Jack Harlow announced the launch of this new music festival back in February. He along with 4X Grammy-award winning artist SZA will co-headline the fest together. The line-up also includes James Blake, Omar Apollo, PinkPantheress, Vince Staples and many more.
The two-day event is taking over the entire Great Lawn at Waterfront Park. It will feature a total of 26 acts on two stages.
Weyler said according to ticket sales they expect to welcome over 40,000 attendees and that the stage will have a unique feature.
"Fans can really get a nice tight site, easy to get around, and quick bop from stage to stage," Weyler said. "Fans of Jack Harlow can expect a really special performance. He's got, I've heard, a new stage set up that's debuting at this event."
Gazebo Festival does not have any dedicated parking lots, and guests are encouraged to use ride share or public transportation. If you plan to park, then you can find spots around downtown Louisville. Just remember that Witherspoon Street will be closed during the event.
This isn't the only music festival happening on the Ohio River. Over in Jeffersonville, preparations are already underway as AROTR is set to kick off on Thursday.
A freshly cut lawn is ready to welcome families for the eighth year in a row.
"So far, set up is going really well. The stages are coming in today. All the tenting and equipment is set," Ali Hawthorne, spokesperson for AROTR, said. "We know there's a bit of weather coming in tonight, but the park is designed to handle that."
Over 100 people are working to set up the six stages across the Big Four Station Park. AROTR will have more than 50 bands and 200 concerts on the stages.
This year's festival will kick off with a performance by headliner Micky Dolenz, singer and drummer for the iconic band, The Monkees.
"It takes quite a bit of planning to come together, but we really transform Big Four Station Park," Hawthorne said.
Other highlights include two performances by Tony Kishman, creator and band leader of Live and Let Die, a full multimedia tribute to the legendary Paul McCartney; Classicstone, a 7-piece band with additional symphony; and Chicago’s BritBeat: Multimedia Tribute to the Beatles. Additional tribute shows include acts honoring Queen, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and many others.
Besides the music, event officials said activities like free guitar lessons, a morning yoga class, interactive arts experiences, disc golf, and a playground for kids will be offered.
Guests can also indulge in an array of food and beverage options including BBQ, pizza, vegan food, sushi, ice cream, and more.
There will be parking for AROTR at Colston Memorial Park for just $5, or you can find a free parking spot around the streets next to the festival or downtown.
As two music festivals prepare for a busy weekend, both spokespeople said they believe this is great for both economies across the river.
"Louisville has such a diverse and vibrant social scene so it's only fitting that we would have multiple events happening at the same time," Weyler said.
"We feel like people coming together to bond over music is always a good thing," Hawthorne said. "[The Beatles] wanted everyone to 'Come Together.'"
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