Posts in category: Friday Night Lights

BELLOWS FALLS — Dar Williams is a fan of Bellows Falls.

When she takes center stage Saturday night at the Bellows Falls Opera House for the inaugural concert in the Ray Massucco Concert Series, it will be a homecoming of sorts, and in ways, performing in the living room of a dear friend.

Williams, the well-known singer-songwriter who has been described by the New Yorker as “one of America’s very best singer-songwriters,” has several personal connections to Vermont, and to Bellows Falls.

That included her friendship with Massucco, who died unexpectedly in late September, leaving not just his family but his hometown in shock. A group of his friends, including her former manager, local artist Charlie Hunter, quickly moved to organize the annual concert series in his honor, co-presented by Bellows Falls Opera House and Next Stage Arts in Putney. It kicks off Saturday at the Bellows Falls Opera House.

“I love Ray, he was a big folkie,” Williams said.

Hunter reached out to Williams and she quickly agreed to start the series, which will also feature The Steel Wheels on April 7 and Chris Smither on Sept. 23. Williams has performed in Bellows Falls four times, all at the Opera House, and one time as a benefit for the area farmers market. The most recent was in 2018.

Early in her career, she would open for folk icon Joan Baez. She has established her reputation in small, acoustic places, rather than the Gillette Stadiums of the world.

Massucco particularly featured Americana performers and acoustic singer-songwriters just starting out, when he was the major domo and promoter of Roots on the River, a local music festival Massucco ran for 12 years, succeeding Hunter. Williams never performed as part of the Roots festival.

Williams, who lived in Northampton, Mass., for many years before moving to the Hudson River Valley, is described as “warm, witty and socially conscious,” and her music reflects that. During a recent interview, she chose to speak about community and people who build it, rather than her music. The concert, she promised, will be a combination of favorites and new work.

Williams said she interviewed Massucco in 2016 for her book to feature what local people and entrepreneurs can do to revitalize old, perhaps sad, towns. She said Hunter, and the late Gary Smith, worked together to bring a great restaurant — Popolo’s — which hasn’t reopened since it closed during the pandemic. Smith was also the founder of community radio station WOOL-FM. The revitalization of the Bellows Falls Opera House was another seminal event, she said.

“What Charlie Hunter, Gary Smith and Ray were doing in Bellows Falls was exactly the kind of urban planning and wisdom that I wanted for all the struggling downtowns,” she said.

Bellows Falls has great vitality, she said, because “you can walk to the train station, walk to the waterfall, and walk to school,” and still live in the village.

Massucco’s and the others’ philosophy was “live and let live,” she said, while offering the community a look into different cultural offerings.

She said that Massucco, who was the quintessential small town lawyer, demonstrated “great spirit, good humor and generosity.”

Williams, in a telephone interview last week, said she interviewed Massucco for her book, “What I Found in a Thousand Towns, a Traveling Musician’s Guide to Rebuilding American Communities One Coffee Shop, Dog Run and Open Mike Night At A Time,” published in 2017. She is also the author of a guide, “How to Write a Song That Matters.”

Massucco was beloved for his dedication to his hometown, and his efforts to revitalize it and make it a lively, arts-oriented place.

“Having Dar return to the Opera House and be the kickoff act for the Ray Massucco series is so fitting and celebratory. Ray loved Dar’s music, and Dar loved seeing Bellows Falls reborn — building community through the arts is a major tenet of her belief,” said Hunter, who remains a close friend.

“And Crys Matthews opening the show is something else Ray would love; she’s so good, and Ray loved turning people on to music they hadn’t heard before,” said Hunter.

Williams said she grew up in what she called a small town outside of New York City, Chappaqua, which has since turned into a full-fledged bedroom community — “a pretty lousy town” in the center of Westchester County.

“My parents had a garden, instead of a pool,” she said. “They took care of bees, instead of joining the country club.”

Her mother baked bread for food sales, “loaves and loaves and loaves of bread.”

Her parents’ philosophy informed her humor and ideas, she said, and very early on, they encouraged her songwriting.

She said she finds it thrilling to see towns “bringing their life back in downtowns” and grow a sense of community simultaneously.

Williams has played in many different Vermont cities and towns, including Brattleboro, Putney, Burlington, Rutland and Randolph, not coincidentally, cities and towns that are “models for what can happen even with a small population and a lot of great ideas.”

Doors open on Saturday at 6:30 p.m., with the show starting at 7:30 p.m. For information and tickets, go to BellowsFallsOperaHouse.com.

SWEET music will ring out once again around the historic village of Kilfenora, when some of the finest local and national players and singers gather there from April 21 to 24.

In just over two months’ time, the village will stage the 14th annual Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival.

The hugely anticipated event first got underway in 2009 in tandem with the 100th anniversary of the Kilfenora Céilí Band.

As always, this year’s programme will include a wealth of great concerts, céilíthe, CD launches, pub sessions and a young musicians’ workshop.

The main concert will be staged on the night of Saturday, April 22. This year, the event features a mighty array of talent and All-Ireland winners, including Órlaith McAuliffe, Daithí Gormley, Dylan Carlos and Brian McGrath, supported by three fine singers – Katie Theasby, Kathleen Lynch and Theresa Garrihy, plus an award-winning young musician from the 2022 Meitheal Summer School.
Tickets are €20 and will be available online as well as in various outlets nearer to the date.

Saturday will also see a ‘Riches of Clare’ concert in Kilfenora Cathedral during the day, as well as a couple of great CD launches

A huge highlight of this year’s festival will be the Sunday afternoon Céilí Mór in Kilfenora Square from 2pm. This free event will feature a youth band followed by the mighty Kilfenora Céilí Band.

Other events include a Saturday night céilí with the Star of Munster band; a young musicians’ workshop on Sunday; a Singers night on Friday as well as a dance performance. Over the course of the festival weekend, there will be an array of open music sessions for traditional musicians in the pubs.

Regular updates will be available on Kilfenoraclare.com and the Kilfenora Festival Facebook page.

Fiona McGarry

Fiona McGarry joined The Clare Champion as a reporter after a four-year stint as producer of Morning Focus on Clare FM. Prior to that she worked for various radio, print and online titles, including Newstalk, Maximum Media and The Tuam Herald.
Fiona’s media career began in her native Mayo when she joined Midwest Radio. She is the maker of a number of radio documentaries, funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). She has also availed of the Simon Cumbers Media Fund to report on development issues supported by Irish Aid in Haiti.
She won a Justice Media Award for a short radio series on the work of Bedford Row Project, which supports prisoners and families in the Mid-West. Fiona also teaches on the Journalism programmes at The University of Galway.
If you have a story and would like to get in touch with Fiona you can email her at fmcgarry@clarechampion.ie or telephone 065 6864146.

There’s been no shortage of Ticketmaster coverage over the past few months, spurred by the now infamous Taylor Swift ticketing fiasco.

But quite frankly, most of that coverage has been sparse on details, relying on anecdotal stories from fans who waited in queue for hours, paid an insane amount for tickets, or were booted before making a purchase when the entire system crashed.

There’s no denying those are all problems, however, I feel as though they don’t get to the core issue at hand; How exactly Ticketmaster is able to wield such a large amount of control over the live music industry?

This is my attempt to lay out how the company gained its power.

For starters, and as most people are now aware, Ticketmaster is owned by Live Nation, the largest music promotion company on the planet, but this was not always the case.

The two companies officially merged in 2010, creating the giant of Live Nation Entertainment. This merger raised a lot of concerns and some antitrust lawsuits, however, the Department of Justice reached a settlement with the companies, which put in writing certain rules and regulations for the new company to remain in operation.

This article is not to convince you that ruling was incorrect. Honestly, I don’t know if Live Nation Entertainment is a monopoly, solely due to there not being “one industry” in the Live Music business, as you’ll soon see.

However, I strongly believe the company is able to act with, if not exceed, power historically attributed only to monopolies (which is why they’re being dragged before Congress again right now).

That is the root issue and this is where we dive in.

The Live Music Business

At its simplest, live music is artists performing in front of fans.

However, in the current ecosystem, there are 4 business segments that bridge artists to those fans.

Artist – Management – Show Promotion – Venue Operation – Ticketing – Fans

Let’s quickly look at each one.

Management

Most artists have a manager, a de facto CEO who oversees the business side of their operations. Each relationship between artist and manager is different, but in general, managers handle contract negotiations, coordinate schedules, work with booking agents (who are a major player in this as well, however essentially work for the artist. For purposes of this discussion, we’ll leave them under the management umbrella) and promoters to book shows, and handle the paperwork side so the artist can focus on what they do best: making and playing music.

Show Promotion

As the name implies, promoters are mainly responsible for marketing a show. They work with venues to secure bookings, advertise ticket sales, bring in sponsorships, and in general, make sure everything is in place that the artist needs.

Venue Operation

This is the actual running of individual music venues. Think vendors, sound systems, security, bathrooms, and all those other details that go into making sure large crowds of people can be accommodated for a concert.

Ticketing

While promoters advertise ticket sales, ticketing companies actually handle the purchase of admission to venues hosting a show. They are responsible for collection and distribution of ticket revenue, logistics of providing those tickets to buyers, and ensuring only the proper number of tickets are sold for each show at each venue.

While pretty straightforward, it’s important to understand how each of these segments chain together in order to have a successful show, and recognize the incentives each one has throughout the negotiating process.

So where does Live Nation/Ticketmaster fit into this chain?

At every single link. 

Live Nation/Ticketmaster have significant to substantial ownership in all four business segments that link artists and fans. The company has effectively created a chokepoint, where fans and artists alike are left with no practical “opt out” of the company’s current system. A system which continues to expand in all four segments every year.

But don’t just take my word, let’s look at the specifics of how Live Nation/Ticketmaster operates in each, and how this all came to be.

Artist Management

Long before the merger with Live Nation, Ticketmaster was nothing more than the top primary ticketing platform on the planet, but that changed when it expanded into the artist management business in 2008.

Ticketmaster purchased a majority stake in Front Line Management, whose clients included Aerosmith, Christina Aguilera, Jimmy Buffet, and Guns N’ Roses. At the time, Front Line CEO Irving Azoff was considered by many to be “the most influential manager of recording artists in the world”, being named the most powerful person in the music industry by Billboard’s Power 100. 

But this wasn’t the company’s only major artist management investment, as in 2011 a “Strategic Partnership” with Universal Music Group was announced. This brought another slew of high profile artists under the company’s management, such as The Eagles, Kenny Chesney, Fleetwood Mac, Slipknot, ZZ Top, Neil Diamond and Journey.

While the term “Strategic Partnership” was used to describe the deal, there’s no questioning who would be calling the shots.

Just read the first few lines of Live Nation’s own press release…

“The partnership will be managed by Front Line…”

As stated above, Front Line was purchased by Ticketmaster in 2008, and Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged in 2010.

Investments in the artist management business didn’t stop there, as Live Nation has continued purchasing or acquiring majority/management stakes in numerous other existing agencies.

Here’s just a few with acts you’ll know:

Roc Nation Management (Rhianna, Alicia Keys, DJ Khalid), Spalding Entertainment (Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Kix Brooks, Terri Clark), Mick Artists Management (Leon Bridges, Walk The Moon), Three Six Zero Group (Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean), Vector Management (Emmylou Harris), Philymack Management (The Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato), G. Major Management (Thomas Rhett, Jewel, Danielle Bradbery), and Gellman Management (Sugarland, Brandy Clark, Michelle Branch).

While a current list of all Live Nation subsidiaries is hard to find, you can search through this one from December 2015. Safe to say the list is much, much larger now, given their latest annual SEC filing (2021 10-K) reports them spending over $384 million on cash acquisitions in 2021 alone.

Obviously, the company’s portfolio is far from every touring artist, but it’s clear it owns a significant and growing piece of the artist management industry and oversees many of the biggest acts in music.

So when they go out on major tours, and bring a slew of other artists with them, there’s a clear incentive to stay within their ecosystem and use the next segment in the Live Nation chain, which is what the company originally became known for…

Show Promotion

Live Nation was originally only an event promoter, founded as SFX Entertainment in 1996. It took just 4 years for the company to command a huge share of the concert promoting business. It was then sold for $3 Billion to Clear Channel Communications in 2000, and was finally spun off as Live Nation in 2005. This is when Michael Rapino was appointed as CEO and the tear to the top truly began.

Rapino’s first order of business was to clear house and sell off all non-music industry assets. He then used that cash to buy up as many smaller competitors as possible, as well as lay the ground work for expansion in other segments, like artist management. It was very risky at the time, but obviously turned out extremely successful.

By 2008, even before the merger with Ticketmaster, Live Nation was promoting “at least 70%” of major artist concerts, according to Pollstar data cited in a 2010 Lawsuit filed with the DOJ.

As with Artist Management, things kicked into high gear after the merger.

Live Nation has purchased dozens of promotion companies, festivals, and tours, both domestic and international, that range from small local folk shows to major events, such as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and The Governor’s Ball. According to the company’s 2021 10-K, it produced 111 festivals globally in 2019, the last full year of non-Covid skewed data.

In a 2021 display of dominance, the company acquired OCESA, the 3rd largest music promoter in the world.

Just a quick search of “Acquires” on Live Nation’s website returns around 60 relevant public statements on major investments the company has made over the past few years, the majority of which are concert promotion businesses.

The fierce acquisition strategy has pushed the number of shows promoted by Live Nation to almost incomprehensible levels.

In 2019, the last full year of pandemic free data, Live Nation promoted over 40,000 events, according to its 2019 10-K. They also stated that the number of confirmed shows for 2020 was up 30% before things got cancelled, meaning they were on pace to promote around 52,000.

Unlike in Artist Management, Live Nation actually has dominant market share in the event promotion industry, practically dwarfing its largest competitor, AEG Worldwide.

AEG is not a public company so available data is sparse, but we can do some comparisons with information provided on its website. However, before we do, it must be noted that AEG is heavily focused on sporting events, so the true disparity in the music industry is even greater than what’s shown below.

On its website, AEG says it promotes over 10,000 shows annually and has over 25 music festivals, compared with Live Nation’s 40,000+ and 111, respectively. Over 4 times more than the number two company in the world, who still hosts over 160 million guests at its events every year.

So yeah, Live Nation is substantially larger than AEG, and laughably larger than all other event promotion companies. Even if a new company begins to make some noise, Live Nation has shown a pattern of making an offer that can’t be refused, swallowing the newcomer up to feed the ever growing belly of the beast.

With a market share of that size, Live Nation, at minimum, can control industry narratives and standards, as well as pressure artists and venues to work exclusively with them, enticing potential clients with a wide spread of services and comparative opportunities. Even if the contract terms aren’t exactly stellar, an example of which is detailed below, it’s not hard to imagine many artists taking the deal due to a seeming lack of any other reasonable path forward.

On non-stellar contracts, a leaked memo from 2020 shows specific examples of how the company is willing to change terms for artists with existing deals. The changes include a 20% cut in guaranteed artist pay and, most shockingly, a responsibility of the artist to repay Live Nation two times their guarantee if a show gets cancelled, which Billboard stated is “unheard of in the music industry”.

Live Nation is only able to get away with this bully behavior due to lack of viable alternatives.

So not only is there practically no opt-out from Live Nation’s ecosystem, those who are in it still somehow get the short end of the stick.

Venue Operation

But why use other people’s venues when they can be yours?

According to the company’s 2021 10-K, it owns, operates, has exclusive booking rights for, or has an equity interest in, 320 venues worldwide. Excluding the “exclusive booking rights” venues, Live Nation has complete, or close to complete, control of 264, 170 in the US alone.

That’s a lot of venues, but things get worse when you look at those venues’ placement in major markets across the US.

In 2018, SeatGeek published a list of the top 25 concert markets in the US. Live Nation owns or operates at least one venue in 20.

Using the top 25 overall Designated Market Areas per Nielsen’s 2022-2023 rankings, Live Nation owns or operates at least one venue in every single market.

At surface level, this makes sense. Why not own the venues where the lion’s share of people live and where the largest number of concerts are put on each year?

But that’s also exactly the point. Live Nation controls, or at least has a large amount of sway, in practically every major market (read, over most fans) in the United States.

To go one step further, Live Nation has been accused of retaliating against venues and markets who wish to not use Ticketmaster as their primary ticketing platform and there is some data, albeit aged, to back this up.

According to the previously mentioned lawsuit filed with the DOJ, as of 2008, before the Ticketmaster merger, 92% of the shows Live Nation promoted took place at a venue owned, operated, or with an exclusive Live Nation contract, per cited Pollstar data.

Admittedly, this is where current data dries up, but denying there is an incentive for the company to promote shows hosted at its own venues, using its own ticketing platform, is silly. In fact, CEO Michael Rapino made this exact point during a 2019 appearance at Goldman Sachs’ Communicopia.

“We can do what’s right for our business, so we have to put the show where we make the most economics, and maybe that venue [that wants to use a different ticketing platform] won’t be the best economic place anymore because we don’t hold the revenue.”

While it’s not a smoking gun, the quote certainly gives credence to claims that Live Nation will back away from venues that don’t want to use Ticketmaster (aka venues with less revenue opportunity).

A lawsuit was filed with a US District Court in California in early 2022 to try this exact issue and litigation is still pending.

To add a cherry on top, let’s look into some manipulative practices the company has implemented in its venue operations.

Just like with Artist Promotion, Live Nation is known to change contract terms from the Venue Operations side as well, which was again shown in the leaked 2020 memo.

Live Nation raised the cut they would take out of artist merch sales to a whopping 30%, practically guaranteeing that artists wouldn’t be seeing any profit from those sales unless they raised prices significantly, which would in turn also increase the nominal revenue taken in by the Live Nation venue.

In the same vein as effectively forcing merch price increases, Live Nation has consistently raised the cost of items inside their venue’s gates over the years.

According to their 2008 10-K, average revenue per fan at a show was $78.34. Using data from the company’s most recent quarterly report (Q3 10-Q), Live Nation now takes in approximately $138.93 per fan per show.

Even after accounting for inflation, that’s still a 28% increase in per fan expenditure at each show. I don’t think people all of a sudden started drinking more beer, which would show a consistent increase in prices well beyond what’s reasonable to keep up with CPI.

While I’ve been trying to avoid anecdotes or hypotheticals to this point, let’s just play one out quickly, to make sure we’re on the same page.

Theoretically, an artist at a show could be managed by a Live Nation company (paying a management fee), have their concert promoted by Live Nation (for a promotional fee), then have the Live Nation owned venue take 30% of their merch sales, and we didn’t even bring up ticketing issues yet, which started this conversation in the first place.

So let’s get to it.

Ticketing

It’s no secret Ticketmaster is the giant of all giants in the ticketing industry, selling over 485 million tickets in 2019, per its 2021 10-K, and has been the number one provider of primary tickets long before Live Nation came around.

According to Pollstar data cited in the 2010 lawsuit filed with the DOJ, Ticketmaster was the primary ticketing service used by 82.9% of US venues in 2008, pre-merger. The next highest at the time was Tickets.com, which had a 3.8% market share.

This percentage has appeared to wane in recent years, as a 2022 Lawsuit filed in the California District Courts cites a New York Attorney General study that shows Ticketmaster sells 65% of all major concert venue seats. But, this does not fully capture their control of ticketing, because it leaves out a part of its business that Ticketmaster likes to keep out of the spotlight: The secondary market.

According to Moodys Investor Service data cited in a 2018 Government Accountability Office report, Ticketmaster held the second largest market share of resale tickets, after StubHub. The 2022 California Lawsuit referenced above also speaks to its growing control over the secondary market, alleging based on public information and belief that the current share can be as high as 60% of the market, although no specific data is referenced to backup this claim.

Growing this secondary market is a core part of the company’s strategy, as laid out in its 2021 10-K.

“We will grow the volume of secondary tickets sold through a trusted environment for fan ticket exchanges, allowing our fans to have a dependable, secure destination for secondary ticket acquisition for all events.”

This means Ticketmaster wants to collect fees multiple times on the exact same ticket, more often.

The same 2018 GAO report cited six studies that show secondary market tickets typically bring in much higher prices than the original face value (41%, 49%, ~50%, 45%, 143%, ~50%, over face value in each study cited.)

Therefore, there is a clear incentive for Ticketmaster to increase the volume of resale tickets on its platforms, as the nominal fee dollars collected on each sale will be substantially higher than on the primary tickets sold.

Fees are one of the main issues voiced by the public over the years. There have been many claims that Ticketmaster charges fees well beyond those of competitors (called “supracompetitive fees”), but I am unable to find any solid data to back up that claim.

However, due to the vertical set up of the company, Ticketmaster/Live Nation takes in a substantially larger percent of these fees than its competitors.

Ticketmaster is on the record many times describing how ticket pricing works, including the 2020 leaked memo which explicitly says that “Ticket prices are set by the promoter, at the promoter’s sole discretion”.

Joe Berchtold, CFO of Live Nation, joined NPR Podcast 1A in August of 2022 and explained this in more detail.

The conversation around who sets prices and fees takes place in the first 15 minutes or so, but this is a summary of his explanation for how it works. Note: He differed from the above memo by saying both artists and promoters set prices. 

1. The artist and promoter set the face value ticket prices for their concerts.
2. Dynamic pricing allows for that face value to increase if there is enough demand to support it.
3. The fee percentage on those tickets is set by the venues, because a majority of fee revenue goes back to the venue hosting the event.
4. If the buyer of the original ticket wants to sell, they can list and sell at the new market price determined by demand on Ticketmaster’s platform, keeping the difference in purchase price and selling price, less resale fees.

Based on what we’ve already gone over in previous sections, some issues jump out immediately.

Live Nation has a powerful and growing presence in the artist management space, especially with top draw artists. It is also the foremost promoter of concerts in the world, meaning Live Nation has a strong say over what those ticket prices will be and a clear incentive for the face value price to be as high as possible so the secondary market can further increase, allowing for a hefty “double-dip” on the fees collected.

They also own and operate a meaningful number of venues, meaning the allocation of fees for those venues flows right back to, you guessed it, Live Nation.

Every portion of their business can collect money with each ticket sale, and growing the number of tickets where all profits flow straight into the company’s pockets seems to be the goal.

This is exactly how they have so much control over the ticketing industry. Everyone likes to focus on the 70% or so of the primary ticketing market that the company commands, and while that’s obviously concerning, more problematic is their ownership of every link in the live music chain that connects artists to fans.

Conclusion

Whether Live Nation/Ticketmaster is a monopoly is for the courts to decide.

But what is undeniable is the company’s top to bottom control of the live music industry through significant ownership in all 4 segments that separate artists and fans. The company has intertwined its systems together in such an intricate, and honestly brilliant, way that both the buyers and sellers of live music have practically no opt out, forced to use Live Nation/Ticketmaster services to see shows of every size in near every market.

This is the issue with Ticketmaster. High fees, dynamic pricing, and website crashes are just symptoms of this integrated chokepoint.

As the great Zach Bryan said, all my homies hate Ticketmaster, and I hope this helps you understand why.

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The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are heading to the 2023 Super Bowl — and fans are now making last-minute travel plans to the Grand Canyon State ahead of the NFL championship game. Taking place Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the game will feature first-time Super Bowl performer Rihanna as the headliner for the Apple Music Halftime Show.

Prices for Super Bowl LVII tickets are skyrocketing, with resale platforms such as SeatGeek, StubHub, VividSeats and Ticketmaster commanding seats at $4,859 and up. On Location, the league’s official hospitality partner, is offering ticket packages for Eagles and Chiefs fans starting at $5,525 per person. Hotel stays are also soaring, with nightly rates for rooms in the greater Phoenix area going for an average of $500 and up.

Fashion-loving football fans can wear their team pride on their sleeves, too. Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty label has dropped an exclusive Game Day collection ($25 to $113) of limited-edition jerseys, hoodies, sweatpants, beanies and more. The superstar also teamed with Philadelphia-based brand Mitchell & Ness for a range of Super Bowl merch ($45 to $120) that includes graphic T-shirts and sweaters, while the NFL tapped Arizona-based labels Ashley Macias, Elias Jade Not Afraid, Manor and OXDX to design exclusive pieces for its Origins apparel line. The four-designer collection debuts Feb. 8 at a pop-up at The Showcase Room (149 S. Farmer Ave.) in Tempe and will available on the NFL’s online shop beginning Feb. 9.

Ahead, The Hollywood Reporter has rounded up the best Super Bowl parties and events in Phoenix and beyond during big game weekend, plus what else to know about buying tickets, flights, hotel rooms and more if you’re heading to the Southwest. From the Bud Light Super Bowl Fest (where performers include Paramore, Imagine Dragons and Anderson .Paak as DJ Pee Wee) and H.wood’s spectacular featuring Drake, to W Scottsdale’s Super Weekend featuring Cardi B and Ludacris, see our list of the top Super Bowl events and check back often for updates.

Super Bowl 2023: Date, Start Time, Tickets

The Super Bowl LVII takes place Sunday, Feb. 12 at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Stadium gates open at 12:30 p.m. MT and kickoff is at 4:30 p.m.

Tickets are available to buy online from $4,859 at SeatGeek, StubHub, VividSeats and Ticketmaster.

Where to Buy Plane Tickets for Super Bowl Weekend

Attendees will want to fly into the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (dubbed America’s friendliest airport) located three miles east of downtown Phoenix, or about 20 minutes from State Farm Stadium. Round-trip nonstop flights for Feb. 10 to 12 from Kansas City to Phoenix start at $780, while Philadelphia trips are from $1,037, according to Google Flights as of press time. Here are a few of the best places to buy plane tickets for Super Bowl weekend online:

CheapOAir Flight and hotel packages start at $2,615 per person, and two-night stays from Feb. 10 to 12 are going from $808 at two-star hotels to $2,268 for the top-rated four-star properties.

Expedia Find flight and hotel packages for Phoenix and nearby areas at a range of budgets.

JSX Flights for the semi-private jet service start at $249 each way to and from Burbank, Dallas, Denver/Boulder, Las Vegas, Oakland or San Diego.

Skyscanner Get price alerts for the best deals on hotels, car rentals and flights to and from Kansas City, Philadelphia and other cities for the Super Bowl.

United Airlines Roundtrip flights from Kansas City to Phoenix are starting at $518, and flights to and from Philadelphia are from $655.

Where to Book Hotels in Phoenix and Beyond for Super Bowl Weekend

Looking for the best hotels in Glendale, Scottsdale and more cities in the greater Phoenix area for the Super Bowl? See some booking options below, including vacation home rentals, luxury resorts and more for stays from Feb. 10 to 12; all prices are accurate as of press time.

Airbnb Guest rooms are going for about $300 and up per night, while entire homes are available to rent from $500 nightly in Phoenix.

Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort The luxury Hilton resort is sold out from Feb. 10 to 11, but rooms are still available for Feb. 12 from $2,363; book online or get more info here.
2400 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix; (602) 955-6600

Booking.com Of more than 225 properties in and around Phoenix, about 71 percent are unavailable from Feb. 9 to 12, so travelers will want to book sooner rather than later. Two-star motel rooms are going for about $372 per night, while four-star hotels are from $2,095 nightly.

Castle Hot Springs For a pre- or post-Super Bowl desert getaway about an hour north of Phoenix, the historic landmark’s rates (two- to three-night minimum stay) are $1,925 to $2,125 nightly and include breakfast, lunch and dinner; resort activities such as hiking and yoga; and service charges and gratuities. Rooms are maximum double occupancy and Cottage stays are a max of six adults. Learn more and book online here.
5050 N. Castle Hot Springs Rd., Morristown; (877) 724-9149

Expedia Nightly stays range from $332 for a condo rental and $411 for motels, to $520 for one-star hotels and $746 and up for three-star boutique rooms.

Hilton The hotelier’s many properties across the greater Phoenix area average about $459 per night and rooms are going fast for Super Bowl weekend.

Marriott Nightly rates start at $574 for rooms in Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe and other greater Phoenix area cities, with availability at Marriott properties such as Residence Inn, Four Points by Sheraton and Courtyard hotels.

Mountain Shadows Resort Nestled below Camelback Mountain, the award-winning destination boasts a picturesque 18-hole golf course, two 75-foot pools surrounded by private cabanas, a fitness and wellness center and more. Rates are $799 to $2,500 nightly for the week of the Super Bowl; learn more or book online here.
5445 E. Lincoln Dr., Paradise; (855) 485-1417

Talking Stick Resort The four-star casino and hotel will host a slew of Super Bowl events, including Sports Illustrated‘s parties and Shaq’s Fun House; see more below. Rates are $299 to $1,899 nightly the week of the big game; learn more and book online here.
9800 Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale; (480) 850-7777

VRBO Vacation rentals for two or more people are between $500 to $2,500 per night in Phoenix and surrounding areas.

The Best Super Bowl LVII Events

From concerts put on by Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone and Maxim to charitable soirées that include mingling with NFL stars and A-listers, see THR‘s roundup of the best 2023 Super Bowl parties, shows and events in Phoenix and beyond below. Unless otherwise noted, all events are 21 and up and in Mountain Standard Time.

Saturday, Feb. 4

Super Bowl Experience Presented by Lowe’s at Phoenix Convention Center
When Feb. 4 to 11 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. 3rd St., Phoenix
What The NFL’s exclusive event invites fans to meet football legends and current and former players, shop official merchandise, participate in interactive games such as a 40-yard dash, take photos with the Vince Lombardi trophy and Super Bowl Rings and more. Note that the NFL OnePass app is required for entry.
Tickets From $20 and free for ages 12 and under; buy online at SeatGeek, Ticketmaster

Sunday, Feb. 5

Super Bowl Experience Presented by Lowe’s at Phoenix Convention Center
When Feb. 5 to 11 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. 3rd St., Phoenix
What The NFL’s exclusive event invites fans to meet football legends and current and former players, shop official merchandise, participate in interactive games such as a 40-yard dash, take photos with the Vince Lombardi trophy and Super Bowl Rings and more. Note that the NFL OnePass app is required for entry.
Tickets From $20 and free for ages 12 and under; buy online at SeatGeek, Ticketmaster

Monday, Feb. 6

Super Bowl Opening Night
When Feb. 8 at 6 p.m.
Where Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix
What Presented by Fast Twitch, the Super Bowl week kickoff event will bring both teams together for their first public appearances ahead of the game. Fans will get the chance to win prizes (including Super Bowl tickets), get autographs from NFL legends, take photos with team mascots and players and more.
Tickets Buy online at SeatGeek ($9 and up), StubHub ($17 and up), Ticketmaster ($20 and up) or VividSeats ($12 and up)

Tuesday, Feb. 7

The Sports Power Brunch: Celebrating the Most Powerful Women in Sports
When Feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Where The Clayton House, 3719 N. 75th St., Scottsdale
What The fourth annual power brunch sponsored by the NFL, Paramount Content for Change, Meta and Head & Shoulders will honor 35V/Boardroom CMO Sarah Flynn, Truth DEI founder and CEO Nona Lee and WNBA MVP and Olympic gold medalist A’ja Wilson. This year’s charity recipients are the American Cancer Society and the Sterling Legacy Fund and the event will also include panel discussions. More info here.
Tickets From $375; buy online at EventBrite

Wednesday, Feb. 8

Historic Old Town ESPN Main Street Tailgate
When Feb. 8 to 12 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where Historic Old Town Scottsdale, E. Main St. and N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale
What ESPN takes over the heart of Old Town Scottsdale for a free, Old West-style pregame party. The sports network will broadcast live coverage of the Super Bowl, NFL Live and the Sunday NFL Countdown during the five-day event. Guests enjoy life-sized games, live entertainment, a Western bar, food from local businesses, giveaways and more.

A Night of Pride with GLAAD and NFL
When Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.
Where Sheraton Downtown Phoenix, 340 N. 3rd Ave., Phoenix
What Presented by Smirnoff, the charitable soirée features a live performance by Betty Who, a panel discussion powered by Yahoo and a guest list that includes NFL legend R.K. Russell, football star Byron Jenkins, GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, NFL evp and CMO Tim Ellis, RuPaul’s Drag Race‘s Joey Jay, Ghosts actor Asher Grodman and others.

24th Annual Super Bowl Soul Celebration
When Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Where Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa
When Patti LaBelle, Israel Houghton and Players Choir bring an uplifting gospel celebration to the Mesa Arts Center.
Tickets From $63; buy online here

W Scottsdale’s Suits & Sneakers
When Feb. 8 from 8 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Where Cottontail Lounge at W Scottsdale, 7277 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale
What Cottontail Lounge’s Super Weekend at W Scottsdale kicks off with a Phoenix Fashion Week show with a runway featuring NFL, MLB and NHL athletes. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer will host and Rick Ross is set to perform.
Tickets From $150; buy online here

Thursday, Feb. 9

Historic Old Town ESPN Main Street Tailgate
When Feb. 9 to 12 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where Historic Old Town Scottsdale, E. Main St. and N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale
What ESPN takes over the heart of Old Town Scottsdale for a free, Old West-style pregame party. The sports network will broadcast live coverage of the Super Bowl, NFL Live and the Sunday NFL Countdown during the five-day event. Guests enjoy life-sized games, live entertainment, a Western bar, food from local businesses, giveaways and more.

Super Bowl Experience Presented by Lowe’s at Phoenix Convention Center
When Feb. 9 to 11 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. 3rd St., Phoenix
What The NFL’s exclusive event invites fans to meet football legends and current and former players, shop official merchandise, participate in interactive games such as a 40-yard dash, take photos with the Vince Lombardi trophy and Super Bowl Rings and more. Note that the NFL OnePass app is required for entry.
Tickets From $20 and free for ages 12 and under; buy online at SeatGeek, Ticketmaster

Super Bowl Experience Presented by Lowe’s at Hance Park
When Feb. 9 from 2 to 10 p.m.
Where Hance Park, 67 W. Culver St., Phoenix
What Jimmy Eat World is the Thursday headliner of the three-day, family-friendly experience presented by Lowe’s at Hance Park. The free event also brings entertainment, local food, a 50-by-80-foot obstacle course and more activities; note that the clear bag policy will be enforced.

Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest
When Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.
Where Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix
What Presented by Bud Light and executive-produced by On Location and Synergy, the three-day festival’s first event features performances by Paramore and Bleachers. More info here.
Tickets $53 and up; buy online at SeatGeek, Ticketmaster, VividSeats

12th Annual NFL Honors
When Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.
Where Symphony Hall, Phoenix Convention Center, 75 N. 2nd St., Phoenix
What Kelly Clarkson hosts the 12th annual awards ceremony presented by Invisalign. The prime-time special airs live at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, NFL Network and Peacock and will recognize the league’s best players, performances and plays of the 2022 season.

W Scottsdale Presents G-Eazy
When Feb. 9 from 9 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Where Cottontail Lounge at W Scottsdale, 7277 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale
What W Scottsdale’s Super Weekend continues with a performance by G-Eazy presented by Pepsi Zero Sugar.
Tickets From $150; buy online here

Friday, Feb. 10

Historic Old Town ESPN Main Street Tailgate
When Feb. 10 to 12 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where Historic Old Town Scottsdale, E. Main St. and N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale
What ESPN takes over the heart of Old Town Scottsdale for a free, Old West-style pregame party. The sports network will broadcast live coverage of the Super Bowl, NFL Live and the Sunday NFL Countdown during the five-day event. Guests enjoy life-sized games, live entertainment, a Western bar, food from local businesses, giveaways and more.

Super Bowl Experience Presented by Lowe’s at Phoenix Convention Center
When Feb. 10 to 11 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. 3rd St., Phoenix
What The NFL’s exclusive event invites fans to meet football legends and current and former players, shop official merchandise, participate in interactive games such as a 40-yard dash, take photos with the Vince Lombardi trophy and Super Bowl Rings and more. Note that the NFL OnePass app is required for entry.
Tickets From $20 and free for ages 12 and under; buy online at SeatGeek, Ticketmaster

Sports Illustrated Golf Invitational
When Feb. 10 at 11 a.m.
Where Talking Stick Golf Club, 9998 Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale
What Celebrities, athletes and sports lovers will tee off at Sports Illustrated‘s golf invitational co-produced by Authentic Brands Group and JP Sports + Entertainment. The tournament will feature local businesses competing for Best Local Culinary Fare and Best Local Cocktails titles and the event will raise funds for charity partner American Cancer Society and Sterling Legacy Fund.

Super Bowl Experience Presented by Lowe’s at Hance Park
When Feb. 10 from 2 to 10 p.m.
Where Hance Park, 67 W. Culver St., Phoenix
What The second installment in a series, the Hance Park event features Lee Brice as the main performance, plus entertainment, local food, games and more activities; note that the clear bag policy will be enforced.

BetMGM West Fest
When Feb. 10 at 6 p.m.
Where Westgate Entertainment District, 6751 N. Sunset Blvd., Glendale
What Marshmello and Nightmre perform at the inaugural BetMGM West Fest’s first installment taking place near State Farm Stadium. Local and national restaurants and a beer garden will be in the mix and a portion of beer sales will benefit a local charity; more info here.
Tickets From $69; buy online here

Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest
When Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.
Where Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix
What Dave Matthews Band and vinyl-only DJ Pee Wee (aka Anderson .Paak) headline the Bud Light series’ second event presented by On Location and Synergy. More info here.
Tickets $41 and up; buy online at SeatGeek, Ticketmaster, VividSeats

Shaq’s Fun House Presented by Netspend
When Feb. 10 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Where Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale
Snoop Dogg and Diplo headline Shaq’s Fun House, a part-festival, part-carnival event produced by Medium Rare that will house games, rides and a six-hour open bar.
Tickets $399 and up; buy online here

Planters Legends Party
When Feb 10 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Where Gila River Resorts & Casinos, Wild Heart Pass, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler
What Hosted by Rob Gronkowski and Vernon Davis, the Planters Legends Party schedule includes a kickoff soiree, a comedy roast and toast hosted by Michael Rapaport, a life performance by Nelly and more. The event is presented by BetMGM and Smirnoff.
Tickets From $250; buy online at Ticketmaster

Rolling Stone Live
When Feb. 10 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Where The Clayton House, 3719 N. 75th St., Scottsdale
What Travis Scott, Robin Thicke, DJ & MC Irie and J Whoo Kid will perform at the magazine’s fifth Super Bowl weekend event in partnership with Talent Resources Sports. The event will raise funds for charity partner Amerian Cancer Society and sponsors including Crown Royal, Bodyarmor, Hemper, Armand De Brignac, Ace of Spade and Aviator Nation will be inside with more.
Tickets From $1,000; buy online here

W Scottsdale Presents Cardi B
When Feb. 10 from 9 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Where Cottontail Lounge at W Scottsdale, 7277 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale
What Cardi B headlines W Scottsdale’s Friday installment of its Super Weekend series.
Tickets From $400; buy online here

H.wood Homecoming Annual Pop-Up Experience
When Feb. 10 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Where Scottsdale Hangar One, 15220 N. 78th Way, Scottsdale
Presented by Cash App and Visa, H.wood and Uncommon Entertainment’s invite-only event take over Scottsdale’s luxury private jet complex with a headlining show by Drake and more musical performances.

Blue42 Presented by Johnnie Walker Blue Label and Tequila Don Julio
When Feb. 10 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Where Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix
What The invite-only event with Sieglman Stable will feature a yet-to-be-announced musical guest and a DJ performance by Ruckus.

2023 Hall of Fame Party
When Feb 10 at 10 p.m.
Where Gila River Resorts & Casinos, Wild Heart Pass, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler
What Cardi B, Offset, DJ Shift and Paul Oakenfold perform at the third annual Hall of Fame Party at the resort’s Showroom.
Tickets From $200; buy online at Ticketmaster and Tixr

Saturday, Feb. 11

2023 Super Bowl Breakfast
When Feb. 11 from 8 to 10 a.m.
Where JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, 5350 E. Marriott Dr., Phoenix
What The NFL’s Athletes in Action Super Bowl Breakfast will present the Bart Starr Award to a current player to recognize their “outstanding character, integrity and leadership on and off the field.”
Tickets From $200; buy online here

Historic Old Town ESPN Main Street Tailgate
When Feb. 11 to 12 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where Historic Old Town Scottsdale, E. Main St. and N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale
What ESPN takes over the heart of Old Town Scottsdale for a free, Old West-style pregame party. The sports network will broadcast live coverage of the Super Bowl, NFL Live and the Sunday NFL Countdown during the five-day event. Guests enjoy life-sized games, live entertainment, a Western bar, food from local businesses, giveaways and more.

2023 NFL’s Play Football Family Festival
When Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where 3700 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler
What Youth and high school football communities, fans and coaches are invited to this free event to meet NFL legends and current players, try equipment, learn skills and drills and other athletic activities.

Super Bowl Experience Presented by Lowe’s at Hance Park
When Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Where Hance Park, 67 W. Culver St., Phoenix
What The third and final day in the series promises live entertainment, local food, games and more activities. A headliner has yet to be announced; note that the clear bag policy will be enforced.

Super Bowl Experience Presented by Lowe’s at Phoenix Convention Center
When Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. 3rd St., Phoenix
What The NFL’s exclusive event invites fans to meet football legends and current and former players, shop official merchandise, participate in interactive games such as a 40-yard dash, take photos with the Vince Lombardi trophy and Super Bowl Rings and more. Note that the NFL OnePass app is required for entry.
Tickets From $20 and free for ages 12 and under; buy online at SeatGeek, Ticketmaster

Park West Bubble Bowl
When Feb. 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where 9744 W. Northern Ave., Peoria
What The city of Peoria’s free family-friendly event celebrates the Super Bowl with bubble activation stations, science demonstrations, a foam zone, entertainment, games and other fun activities.

Gronk Beach Presented by The Beast Unleashed
When Feb. 11 from 12 to 6 p.m.
Where Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale
What Four-time Super Bowl champion and former University of Arizona star Rob Gronkowski’s music festival (also produced by Medium Rare) boasts performances by 21 Savage, Lil Jon and Diplo, plus a celebrity volleyball competition.
Tickets $250 to $3,500 and up; buy online here

The Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party 2023
When Feb. 11 from 12 to 5 p.m.
Where Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale
What The philanthropic event will spotlight Champions for the Homeless at St. Vincent De Paul’s Homeless Shelter while honoring legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg. A performance by Kim Cruse, the 10th Annual Brain Summit and the Steinberg Denicola Humanitarian Awards are also on the schedule.
Tickets From $1,000; buy tickets online here

Game On Goodyear
When Feb. 11 from 2 to 5 p.m.
Where Goodyear Civic Park, 1900 N. Civid Square, Goodyear
What The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee partner city invites football fans to enjoy food trucks, a beer garden, inflatables, interactive drills, friendly competitions, giveaways, photo opps and more.

Taste of the NFL 2023
When Feb. 11 at 4 p.m.
Where Chateau Luxe, 1175 E. Lone Cactus Dr., Phoenix
What Mingle with NFL players and taste the best of Phoenix’s food scene at this pregame party that benefits GenYouth. More info here.
Tickets From $750; buy online at Ticketmaster

BetMGM West Fest
When Feb. 11 at 6 p.m.
Where Westgate Entertainment District, 6751 N. Sunset Blvd., Glendale
What Tim McGraw and Bailey Zimmerman perform at the second night of BetMGM’s inaugural Super Bowl event which includes food from local and national restaurants and a beer garden. More info here.
Tickets From $129; buy online at Fevo

Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest
When Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.
Where Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix
What The third and final installment of Bud Light’s series features Imagine Dragons and Kane Brown. More info here.
Tickets From $122; buy online at SeatGeek, Ticketmaster, VividSeats

Tao x Maxim Big Game Party: Catch Me If You Can
When Feb. 11 at 8 p.m.
Where Southwest Jet Center, 14988 N. 78th Way, Scottsdale
The invite-only Catch Me If You Can-themed event promises live performances by Zedd, Offset, Loud Luxury, Plastik Funk, DJ unKommon and more at Scottsdale Airport’s new Southwest Jet Center. Activations include a color-changing BMW XM vehicle, a Jose Cuervo cocktail lounge, an L.A. Golf putting experience and more; a silent auction will benefit Legends for Charity. More info here.
Tickets From $325 for general admission to $2,500 for VIP; buy online at EventBrite, TickPick, VividSeats

Playboy Presents Ludacris
When Feb. 11 from 9 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Where Cottontail Lounge at W Scottsdale, 7277 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale
What Ludacris headlines Playboy’s Super Bowl party at W Scottsdale’s Super Weekend series.
Tickets From $200; buy online here

SI The Party Presented by Captain Morgan
When Feb. 11 at 9 p.m.
Where Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale
The Chainsmokers and Machine Gun Kelly headline the musical lineup of Sports Illustrated‘s annual party, presented by Captain Morgan. More info here.
Tickets From $618; buy online at Tixr, SeatGeek, StubHub

Sunday, Feb. 12

Historic Old Town ESPN Main Street Tailgate
When Feb. 12 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where Historic Old Town Scottsdale, E. Main St. and N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale
What ESPN takes over the heart of Old Town Scottsdale for a free, Old West-style pregame party. The sports network will broadcast live coverage of the Super Bowl, NFL Live and the Sunday NFL Countdown during the five-day event. Guests enjoy life-sized games, live entertainment, a Western bar, food from local businesses, giveaways and more.

W Scottsdale Skybox Sunday
When Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Where Cottontail Lounge at W Scottsdale, 7277 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale
What W Scottsdale’s Super Weekend series wraps up with a viewing party featuring a wet deck, private cabanas and a giant LED video wall.
Tickets Request a reservation here

NFL TikTok Tailgate
When Feb. 12
Where State Farm Stadium, 1 Cardinals Dr., Glendale
What Jason Derulo and the Black Keys headline the NFL’s pregame party that will be televised on Fox ahead of the championship game. Fans can catch live programming on @NFL on TikTok with gameday predictions, commentary, appearances by special guests, performances and more.

2023 Hall of Fame Tailgate
When Feb 12 at 11 a.m.
Where Gila River Resorts & Casinos, Oasis Pool at Wild Heart Pass, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler
What The Blacktop Streetball Association makes its debut at this big game tailgate and watch party that promises food, DJs, cheerleaders, giveaways and activations.
Tickets From $49; buy online here

Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate
When Feb. 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where 9191 Cardinals Way, Glendale
Where Stagecoach brings a special country set from Diplo and Locash at Guy Fieri’s Flavortown food and music festival. Presented by Cash App and Visa and produced by Medium Rare, the family-friendly event will house a Taste of Phoenix, more than 20 restaurant pop-ups and more just outside State Farm Stadium. Free general admission courtesy of TickPick; VIP tickets are available here and Cash App card holders save 25 percent off food and drink purchases.
Tickets General admission free, $400 and up for VIP tickets and $5,000 and up for Wynn VIP tables; buy online at Tixr

Beyoncé fans may have joked about dreading the effects her eventual Renaissance tour would have on their checkbooks, but now that the announcement has been made, it looks like they can’t wait to give her all their money — even if it is the first of the month when the rent’s due.

While some fans have been joking about selling the family homestead to afford the tickets, which are currently only available to fans who register on Beyoncé’s website. This is likely a precautionary measure to avoid a repeat of Ticketmaster’s Eras Tour debacle, which angered Taylor Swift fans enough that even Congress stepped in to grill the ticket platform’s parent company, Live Nation.

Meanwhile, other Beyoncé fans are trying to take a different tack, urging others to avoid her concerts with dire, tongue-in-cheek warnings of the dangers of her siren’s call. One fan even went so far as to play one of Beyoncé’s signature songs, “Single Ladies,” in reverse, a sly reference to past satanic panics (although those usually involved heavy metal bands in the ’80s).

And due to the high demand, plenty of fans expressed plans to see their fave by hook or crook, even if it means also making travel plans to see her in a completely different city.

Clearly, The Beyhive is thriving today, and Black History Month is off to a great start. But one question remains: Where are the visuals, sis?

Black History Month begins Wednesday but several Hampton Roads venues have already started, with exhibitions, lectures and concerts. Some events are even year-round. And why not? Black history is everyone’s history.

In the U.S. and Canada, February is the month designated to commemorate the contributions of African Americans, and their overcoming of adversities. Other parts of the world, including the United Kingdom, celebrate the history of their Caribbean and African heritage in October.

This calendar includes some of the many concerts, museum exhibitions and lectures planned around Hampton Roads. The list includes the standard ticket prices for adults, but almost all venues offer discounts for military, children, students and older adults. Events and dates are also subject to change.

Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 26. 10 to noon and 2 to 3 p.m. STEAM Studio Black Scientists & Artists Series. Discover the contributions of Black scientists and artists. $11. Children’s Museum of Virginia. 221 High St., Portsmouth. 757-393-5258. childrensmuseumvirginia.com.

Thursdays through March. 11:30 a.m. “A Quilter’s Story.” Examine a quilt and its maker featured in an exhibition at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum and participate in a quilting project. $14.99; $5 for supplies. 301 S. Nassau St., Williamsburg. 855-776-1765. tinyurl.com/cwquilter.

Through March. “Man of Honor: The Navy’s Most Famous Diver.” A three-month exhibit looks at the career of Master Chief Petty Officer Carl Brashear, the first African American master diver and first amputee diver in the U.S. Navy. Free. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum. 2 High St., Portsmouth. 757-393-8591. tinyurl.com/navalmuse.

Through March. “Portraits of Service.” A display showcases some of the local African Americans who joined the armed forces during the mid-20th century. Free. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, 2 High St., Portsmouth. 757-393-8591. tinyurl.com/navalmuse.

Fridays and Saturdays into October. Noon to 4 p.m. “Rooting for the Home Team: Portsmouth’s Black Baseball Players, Promoters, and Parks.” Free. Portsmouth Colored Community Library Museum. 904 Elm Ave. portsvaafricanamericanheritage.com.

Through December 2025. “ ‘I made this…’: The Work of Black American Artists and Artisans.” $14.99. DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum. 301 S. Nassau St., Williamsburg. 855-776-1765. colonialwilliamsburg.org.

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Feb. 1. Hampton Black History Sites Pass. Visit four or more of Hampton’s Black History sites during Black History Month and win a prize. Fort Monroe Visitor and Education Center, 30 Ingalls Road, Hampton. Some sites require tickets. 757-690-8181. visithampton.com.

Feb. 1. 6:30 p.m. Story of African Arrival, Set to Music. Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra soloists Xavier Foley and Eunice Kim with Music Director Michael Butterman. Free, but limited to 60 people and advance registration is required. Jamestown Settlement, 2110 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg. 757-253-4838. jyfmuseums.org.

Feb. 2. 7 p.m. “Diving with a Purpose: Connecting Ancestral Memory through the History and Archaeology of Slave Shipwrecks.” Diving With a Purpose is a nonprofit that conserves and preserves submerged Transatlantic slave ships. Kamau Sadiki, DWP lead instructor and board member, was among the first to identify the wreck of Clotilda, the last known slave ship to the United States and central to Netflix’s documentary “Descendant.” In-person and live-streamed. Free for Mariners’ museum members; $10. Advance registration is required. The Mariners’ Museum and Park, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. 757-596-2222. MarinersMuseum.org/DivingWithAPurpose.

Feb. 4. 1 to 5 p.m. The Essence of Heart and Soul Festival. Free. Slover Library, 235 E. Plume St., Norfolk. 757-431-7491. sloverlibrary.com.

Feb. 4. 1:30 to 3 p.m. “Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter, Conductor, Nurse, Soldier, & Spy.” Cassandra Newby-Alexander will explore the life of Tubman’s journeys, which took her from Hampton to St. Catharines, Canada. Free. Portsmouth Welcome Center, 206 High St. 757-393-5111. portsvaevents.com.

Feb. 4. 3 p.m. “Meet John Rollison and His Descendant,” part of the Talking History Lecture series. Actor James Cameron will portray John Rollison, an 18th-century York County resident and property-owning free man of color sharing his experiences during the American Revolution. Cameron will break character to introduce a 21st-century descendant of Rollison, Helen Casey-Rutland. They will explore what it’s like to come face-to-face with an ancestor through living-history character portrayal. Free, but advance registration is recommended. American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, 200 Water St., Route 1020, Yorktown. 757-253-4838. jyfmuseums.org.

Feb. 5. 4:30 to 6 p.m. West African drum lesson with Kam Kelly. Learn the history behind the drum as well as basics of rhythms and techniques. $15. Y.H. Thomas Community Center, 1300 Thomas St. hampton.gov.

Feb. 4 and 5. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4. “Lift Every Voice: Music of Black Women Composers” by the Virginia Chorale. Susan S. Goode Fine & Performing Arts Center, Virginia Wesleyan University, 5817 Wesleyan Drive. 4 p.m. Feb. 5. Royster Memorial Presbyterian Church, 6901 Newport Ave., Norfolk. $28. 757-627-8375. vachorale.org.

Feb. 10 and 11. Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m., Feb. 11, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Ballet Virginia presents “Heart + Soul.” Themed classical and contemporary works with a focus on diversity. $30. Zeiders American Dream Theater. 4509 Commerce St., Virginia Beach. 757-499-0317. thez.org.

Feb. 10. Noon. Civil War Lecture: “U.S. Slave Revolts at Sea.” John V. Quarstein, director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center. The most successful slave revolt in U.S. history occurred on Nov. 7, 1841, when enslaved persons took over the ship Creole that sailed from Hampton Roads to New Orleans. Free for Mariners’ museum members; $1. Free to watch online. Advance registration is required. The Mariners’ Museum and Park, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. 757-596-2222. marinersmuseum.org.

Feb. 11. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Unsung Heroes of American Dance: The Alvin Ailey Experience.” Explore the origins of modern dance through the life and work of Alvin Ailey. Presented by Atumpan Edutainment. $11. Children’s Museum of Virginia, 221 High St., Portsmouth. 757-393-5258. childrensmuseumvirginia.com, portsvaevents.com.

Feb. 11. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Super Science: Black History Month Edition.” Learn about a famous scientist and participate in an experiment based on that scientist’s work. Free. Portsmouth Main Library, 601 Court St. 757-393-8501. portsvaevents.com.

Feb. 11. 2 to 4:30 p.m. Keynote event: Tidewater African Cultural Alliance’s Afro Mania: Ethiopia. An address with novelist and founder of Etan Comics, Beserat Debebe. Free. Tidewater Community College Joint-Use Library, Virginia Beach Campus. 1700 College Crescent. 757-822-7100. tcc.edu.

Feb. 11. 8 p.m. Dee Dee Bridgewater. The Grammy- and Tony-winning performer is known for fusing musical genres and for her tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. Tickets start at $35. The American Theatre, 125 E. Mellen St., Hampton. 757-722-2787.hamptonarts.org.

Feb. 12. 7 p.m. Cirque Zuma Zuma. A performance of music and acrobatics that’s often described as “African-style Cirque du Soliel.” Tickets start at $21. Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 201 Market St., Virginia Beach. 757-385-2787. sandlercenter.org.

Feb. 15. 6 to 8 p.m. Front Porch Music Series with singer Akeylah Simone. Free for members of the Hampton History Museum; $5 for others. 120 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton. 757-727-1102. tinyurl.com/hamptonmuse.

Feb. 18. 11 a.m. Africa’s Kingdoms and Maritime Cultures: Ancient Mali. Presenter: Wisteria Perry, the Mariners’ associate curator for community engagement. Free for Mariners’ museum Members; $1. The Mariners’ Museum and Park, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. 757-596-2222. marinersmuseum.org.

Feb. 18. 11 a.m. “Essential African Threads” with storyteller Dylan Pritchett. Free. Hampton History Museum, 120 Old Hampton Lane. 757-727-1102. tinyurl.com/hamptonmuse.

Feb.18. 1:30 p.m. “Uncovering and Recentering the Maritime Underground Railroad.” Presentation and book signing, Timothy Walker, professor of history, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Free. Portsmouth Welcome Center, 206 High St., Portsmouth. 757-393-5111. portsvacation.com.

Feb. 18. Noon. The New Chesapeake Men for Progress annual Black History Month program. Audrey Perry Williams, president of the Hampton Roads branch of the Association for the Study of African Life and History, is a featured speaker. Free; donations accepted. Buffalow Family and Friends multipurpose center, 2403 Bainbridge Blvd., Suite B, Chesapeake. ncmfp.org.

Feb. 18 through April 16. “Sailing to Freedom: Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad.” The exhibition features the less-understood maritime side of the Underground Railroad, including the impact of African Americans’ paid and unpaid waterfront labor. $3. Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, 400 High St. 757-393-8543. portsvaevents.com.

Feb. 21. Noon to 1:30 p.m. Panel Discussion on Race Relations: “Micro-Misconceptions of the Generational Norms in Today’s Society.” Discussion will focus on topics including bridging the gap and navigating misconceptions and cultural biases in education and in the workplace. The group will discuss threatening speech. The panel includes professors from Norfolk State University. Tidewater Community College Portsmouth Campus, 120 Campus Drive. 757-822-2124. tinyurl.com/tccdiscussion.

Feb. 24. Noon. Hampton Roads History Lecture: Four Freedom Fighters from Southampton County. John V. Quarstein, director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center discusses how four men from Southampton County — Nat Turner, Dred Scott, Anthony Gardiner, John Brown — took different paths to freedom. In-person and live-streamed. Free for Mariners’ museum members; $1. Free to watch online. Advance registration is required. The Mariners’ Museum and Park, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. 757-596-2222. marinersmuseum.org.

Feb. 25. Noon to 5 p.m. “After Angelo” Black Artist Showcase. The event honors the legacy of one of the first African women mentioned by name in the historical record at Jamestown. Art, music, storytelling and conversation. Included with museum admission. $18. Jamestown Settlement. 2110 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg. 757-253-4838. jyfmuseums.org.

Feb. 25. 1:30 p.m. “The Archaeology of a Secret World in the Great Dismal Swamp.” Daniel Sayers, an associate professor at American University, shares his archaeological work spanning 2003-17 in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, looking for evidence of post-1607 resistance communities. Free. Portsmouth Welcome Center, 206 High St., Portsmouth. 757-393-5111. portsvacation.com.

Feb. 25. 7:30 p.m. Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. The orchestra organizes jazz education programs and competitions among collegiate musical groups. The Virginia Arts Festival and orchestra have collaborated on a residency with bands from historically Black colleges and universities. Top student ensembles will perform during the first half of the program. Tickets start at $21. Chrysler Hall, 215 St. Paul’s Blvd., Norfolk. 757-282-2822. vafest.org.