Warped Tour Returning for Three One-Off Events Next Summer
In celebration of the alt-rock institution's 25th anniversary
Photo by Cory Schwartz/Getty
Vans Warped Tour was an institution by the time it completed its final run this past summer after 24 years of exploring the nation’s amphitheaters. Though a starting point for punk/emo/rock bands galore (including Blink-182 and Fall Out Boy, to name a few), the tour was no longer in its heyday and parked its busses with perfect timing despite breaking punk hearts everywhere.
THANK YOU FOR 24 SUMMERS!
11.5 million tickets sold
300,000+ miles driven
1,000+ bands performed
countless memories made#vanswarpedtour#warpedtour#foreverwarpedpic.twitter.com/iS8HTcC5QR— Vans Warped Tour (@VansWarpedTour) August 7, 2018
However, it now appears festival founder Kevin Lyman is planning to break out the tents (and band tees) one more time in summer 2019 to celebrate the tour’s 25th anniversary. Tweeting on Monday (Dec. 17), Lyman announced, vaguely, that “plans are coming together” for three one-off events—one in Cleveland and one on each coast.
Plans are coming together for @VansWarpedTour 25th only thing I can say for now since many need to hold vacations dates are June 8 Cleveland, June 29-30 eastcoast, July 20-21 westcoast.
— KevinLyman (@KevinLyman) December 17, 2018
Last summer’s shows were largely a victory lap for the festival, bringing back punk veterans such as Simple Plan, Sum 41, Taking Back Sunday and The Used among the lineup. Considering the festival is coming back one last time to celebrate next year’s big anniversary, it will be interesting to see who Lyman enlists to celebrate the landmark.