Intimate music experience in Sac
Sacramento, Calif. – Sad Summer Festival happens today, July 11 as their 2024 lineup as the event looks to celebrate its 5-Year anniversary. This year includes a return to Sacramento, this time at the new venue, The Backyard. Tickets available here online.
Originally launched in 2019 by some of the artists and industry folks lamenting the loss of the long-running Vans Warped Tour, Sad Summer was the first major event to emerge in the wake of Vans Warped Tour’s end. Initially serving as a way for the community to continue to come together, Sad Summer has grown significantly each year becoming a scene staple and contributing to its reemergence over the past four years.
The nationwide run features festival founders Mayday Parade and The Maine along with The Wonder Years, We The Kings, Real Friends, Knuckle Puck, & Daisy Grenade on all dates. The Backyard show will also feature support coming from The Summer Set and Like Roses.
Intimate experience
Unlike most major festivals that feature multiple stages and hundreds of bands each day, Sad Summer opted to create a more intimate experience with one stage and a smaller curated lineup each year. This intentional decision eliminates any competition and the need to decide which act you are going to watch, while simultaneously providing the smaller acts on the bill a real chance to be seen and heard. In addition, festival co-founders Mike Marquis, Josh Terry, and Tim Kirch, made it a goal with Sad Summer to create an environment that is inclusive and independent. This conscious choice has been well-received making them one of Pollstar’s “Top Grossing Tours of 2021” and seeing overall attendance nearly doubling in the last four years.
Convenient Location
Commitment to non-profit partnerships
Another important theme of Sad Summer is its ongoing commitment to non-profit partnerships and involvement. As they look to celebrate their fifth-year anniversary in 2024, the festival will continue to build upon their dedication to giving exposure and access to a variety of causes the artists, founders, and community are passionate about. This year fans can expect to learn more about previously involved non-profits like HeadCount and Reverb, as well as learn about Sad Summer’s new partnership with Calling All Crows among others. Each organization will have an on-site presence, providing education and resources.