BREAKING: Cheyenne's Edge Fest to End in 2024

Cheyenne will see the end of an era on August 24, 2024, as the sloping green lawn of Civic Commons Park welcomes Edge Fest to the stage one last time. Edge Fest, Wyoming's largest outdoor music festival, has brought fresh musical finds to the capital city for a decade, growing in popularity every year and garnering a cult following for alt-music lovers in the region.

But all good things must come to an end sometime, and that time has arrived for Edge Fest.

Curtains Close on Edge Fest in 2024

Edge Fest began in 2014, playing host to fantastic artists like Tones and I, Bishop Briggs, and K.Flay. The music festival brought crowds to the West Edge district of Downtown Cheyenne, giving the area a much-needed boost of vitality and love. Love, as it were, was a key part of starting Edge Fest.

“We started Edge Fest to bring light, love and healing to the West Edge district of Downtown," said founder Dave Teubner in a Press Release issued today, March 19. “We’re grateful for the generous and loyal support from everyone who’s been involved over the years, but recognize there are other opportunities that deserve the same spotlight and effort. Our tenth year feels like the perfect time to recognize the momentum of the West Edge revitalization, and step out a few years too early instead of a few years too late.”

Why is Edge Fest Ending?

The question we all want answered...why is Edge Fest ending? Will it return? According to the Press Release, there is a future in store for the festival, but it's a different direction "focused on the community."

According to Teubner, the decision to end Edge Fest was "super difficult and [the team] agonized over it for probably 2 to 3 years. It's a very expensive event to pull off, and so the ability to sustain an event like that without having a really enormous sponsor...it's a huge lift for Wharehouse 21, and it's not a money-making endeavor. We've wanted to keep it free for the people of Cheyenne, but as the price of acts, the stage, and the level of production are not getting cheaper, it was very difficult for us to maintain without a stable funding source year over year."

Edge Fest's Dave Teubner acknowledged the community impact that helped bring Edge Fest to life, "The event has been kept free due to upwards of $350,000 worth of donations and time from local individuals, companies and organizations as well as all labor, coordination and execution donated by Warehouse 21," a Cheyenne-based marketing and event firm owned by Teubner. "While a worthwhile investment, the Edge Fest team recognizes that the focus on this event means donors and volunteers may not be able to support other community opportunities."

Where Will Edge Fest's Next Adventure Take the Festival?

Edge Fest is in uncharted waters for the foreseeable future. "We're gonna be exploring things," explained Teubner. "The Edge Fest is run by Wharehouse 21 and the Big 8 Foundation...We set out to be a contributor to the evolution of the West Edge and Downtown District of Cheyenne and to the arts and music scene in Cheyenne. We will still be contributors to the arts and music scene, just not in the form of an outdoor concert. We're not sure what form it will take in the future."

A Road Well Traveled & a Big Thank You to Cheyenne

Edge Fest set out on an uncertain road in 2014. A non-country music festival in Wyoming? Would it survive? Would it thrive? Teubner and the team believe Edge Fest remains a remarkable success. "We did accomplish our goals. We set out to bring music and shed a light on the alternative music scene and the West Edge district and we did that. And the West Edge and the Downtown have grown, but there's still much to be done. We feel we were able to shed light on and be a small contributor in that way."

What's more, he expressed extreme gratitude to everyone who helped make this event possible over the years."Thanks to all of the volunteers over the last 10 years and all of the sponsors that donated to the cause. And thank you to the acts that have decided Cheyenne was worthy to come, no matter how big they are. We feel very humble and grateful to everyone."

We'll have to wait to see where Edge Fest's road will go in the next few years. In the meantime, fans can gear up for the announcement of the final Edge Fest talent lineup on June 13. Stay tuned!

How to Sponsor & Volunteer at the FINAL Edge Fest:

Don't miss out on being part of the Edge Fest legacy - volunteers are always welcome! Visit edgefest.com to learn about the Big Eight Foundation, sign up for sponsorship, or volunteering.