Tempe Beach Park hosted the eighth edition of the Innings Festival over two weekends, February 20-22 and February 27-28, bringing together music fans and baseball enthusiasts during Cactus League spring training. The festival featured performances from Blink-182, Twenty One Pilots, and Mumford & Sons, alongside appearances by Major League Baseball legends.
This year marked the first time since 2018 that the festival expanded to three days of music, offering 30 artists across two main stages with no overlapping sets, according to organizers. Attendees saw performances by Cage The Elephant, Sublime, Lord Huron, Goo Goo Dolls, Myles Smith, Public Enemy, Dashboard Confessional, Grouplove, Massive Boi, Peach Pit, and OK Go, among others.
Beyond the music, the festival incorporated interactive baseball activities and appearances from prominent figures in the sport, including Torii Hunter, Brandon Crawford, Jason Kipnis, and Jake Peavy. ESPN analyst and Olympic medalist Jessica Mendoza also made an appearance. “Off the Mound with Ryan Dempster” returned, featuring live interviews and surprise performances from artists on the festival lineup.
During a Mumford & Sons set, actors Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, and Brendan Hunt, known for their roles in the television series “Ted Lasso,” joined the band onstage, surprising fans.
The festival utilized two entrances: the main entrance at the northwest corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway, and a secondary entrance on Rio Salado Parkway at Lakeside Drive. A map of the festival grounds was available online.
The second weekend, dubbed “Extra Innings,” is scheduled to continue at Tempe Beach Park.
