Churchill Downs Inc. and its new wholly owned subsidiary, Churchill Downs
Entertainment Group, Monday unveiled a significant three-day summer music
festival that will showcase more than 65 bands, including the Grammy
Award-winning Bon Jovi, country music phenomenon Kenny Chesney, and Grammy
Award-winning Dave Matthews Band, at the world-famous home of the Kentucky Derby
(G1) on July 23-25, 2010.
Designed to be an annual event, the “HullabaLOU Music Festival” will feature
a wide range of artists that blend the sounds of classic rock, country, adult
contemporary and bluegrass on five stages throughout the sprawling 147-acre
facility.
“CDE plans to introduce a variety of live entertainment concepts that provide
exciting and innovative entertainment options for our customers and that fit
with our management team’s core competencies, including the operation and
monetization of large-scale, live events,” CDE President Steve Sexton said. “Our
first major project is the HullabaLOU Music Festival, which will be a great
springboard for CDE-branded entertainment.
“With Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, and Dave Matthews Band as headliners, we have
an extraordinary lineup of musical artists who will be performing against the
backdrop of the iconic Twin Spires at Churchill Downs.
“We believe that fantastic combination will offer a one-of-a-kind experience
for music fans, and we anticipate that the HullabaLOU Music Festival will become
the premier music festival in this region, and an important summer destination
for music lovers for years to come.”
Other musical acts scheduled to appear include Zac Brown Band, Steve Miller
Band, Gladys Knight, Jason Aldean, The Doobie Brothers, Al Green, Dwight Yoakam,
Michael McDonald, Loretta Lynn, Colbie Caillat, Steppenwolf, The Black Crowes,
Kansas, B52s, Gloriana, 38 Special, The O’Jays, War, Richard Marx, Gov’t Mule,
Joan Osborne, Musiq Soulchild, Taj Mahal, Sam Bush, Chrisette Michele and many
more. A complete list of confirmed performers is available online at the event
website, www.hullabaloufest.com.
“The performers scheduled to appear at HullabaLOU will instantly put the
event on the map of major music festivals in the country, and be one of the top
festival entertainment options in 2010,” said Quint Davis, producer/director of
the world-famous Jazz Fest in New Orleans and consulting producer of HullabaLOU.
Ticket packages, which range from $60 for a one-day general admission pass to
$975 for a three-day VIP package, will go on sale Friday at noon (EST) and can
be purchased online at www.hullabaloufest.com and www.ticketmaster.com and at
all Ticketmaster outlets, including select Kroger locations, or by calling (800)
745-3000.
HullabaLOU, which could have an estimated economic impact of $38 million to
the Greater Louisville, Kentucky, area, is positioned almost three months after
the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, and some three weeks after the
conclusion of Churchill Downs’ 42-day Spring Meet on July 4.
Out of town HullabaLOU guests can secure hotel accommodations by visiting
www.hullabaloufest.com and clicking the “Travel Information” icon.
High-profile concerts are nothing new to Churchill Downs. In 2006, the
Rolling Stones played under the Twin Spires followed by The Police in 2007.