Railbird, the tunes pageant that debuted to crucial acclaim at Keeneland in 2019, has been canceled for 2022.
Organizers declared Tuesday that it will return June 3-4, 2023, but at the Pink Mile, Lexington’s historic harness racing track that is now also a gambling location.
Lexington tourism officers cheered the information that the festival will be coming back again.
“The go just down the road to Red Mile, the nation’s next oldest monitor, alerts remarkable growth for Railbird Festival,” mentioned Mary Quinn Ramer of VisitLEX. “Near the heart of downtown Lexington with simple accessibility, the historic Purple Mile will retain the equine encounter at the coronary heart of the competition even though also offering a wonderful location to showcase Kentucky’s bourbon heritage and the nation’s ideal artists.”
Keeneland officials did not remark on why the function will not be returning.
“Hello from Railbird! Thanks to all of you who joined us for Railbird Festival in 2021. We have listened and taken your comments to coronary heart and are functioning guiding the scenes to create an extraordinary knowledge for the following version of the festival,” Railbird officials mentioned in the announcement.
“Railbird will choose a pause in 2022, having said that, we are thrilled to share that you can mark your calendars for Railbird Festival 2023 using spot June 3-4 2023 at its new venue, Pink Mile Gaming & Racing, situated in the heart of Downtown Lexington!”
The live performance seemingly will be in the infield of the Purple Mile, at 1200 Red Mile Road involving Broadway and Versailles Highway, a significantly smaller sized area with less parking in an city placing.
“We are eternally grateful to our companions at Keeneland and recognize their ongoing assist in the course of this changeover and want to thank our good friends at VisitLEX for anything they do to winner this terrific festival,” reported Ted Heinig, President, AC Amusement, promoter of Railbird, in a assertion. “We are excited for this new chapter of Railbird and search ahead to quite a few yrs of accomplishment doing work with our new hosts and associates at Pink Mile.”
The very first Railbird drew 30,000 men and women and about 70,000 had been expected at the 2021 celebration dependent on ticket sales. It’s unclear how numerous will be able to easily in good shape onto the 114-acre Purple Mile website.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Red Mile hosted new music festivals, normally on Memorial Working day, but crowds were being only close to 10,000 attendees or so.
Soon after a mostly nicely-acquired inaugural year, Railbird was canceled in 2020 by the COVID pandemic. The two-working day pageant returned very last slide but ran into significant trouble on the first working day when patrons, who were prohibited from bringing in filled drinking water bottles, waited in extended traces in 90-diploma heat at refill stations and bars.
Railbird organizers acknowledged the complications and on Sunday water was abundant.
But the poor publicity apparently prompted a important black eye for a spot that prides alone on receiving factors right: Keeneland.
Keeneland is hosting the Breeders’ Cup Entire world Thoroughbred Championships in November and has presently begun establish-out for that party.
“Keeneland is proud to have assisted correctly launch Railbird, and as our team focuses on our main racing and revenue operations, we seem forward to supporting the competition as it transitions to its new home at Crimson Mile,” claimed Keeneland president and CEO Shannon Arvin in the launch. “Railbird has speedily become a hugely predicted celebration for the neighborhood local community and music lovers throughout the region, and we are energized for its return in 2023.”
Railbird organizers reported they predicted to bring back ancillary areas of the party, such as “immersive” activities in bourbon, food and horses.
Shannon Cobb, main working officer for Pink Mile Gaming and Racing mentioned in a information launch, “Our staff is excited to sign up for with the Railbird promoters as the festival’s new host spot. We search forward to providing a exciting, handy concert venue, as perfectly as acquiring the option to reintroduce our neighborhood to the new Pink Mile facilities and activities.”
This tale was at first released Could 17, 2022 1:04 PM.
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