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Virgin Festival

{{Short description|Rock festival}}

{{For|the original rock festival held in England|V Festival}}

{{Infobox music festival

| music_festival_name = Virgin Mobile Fest

| caption = Virgin Mobile Fest logo

| image = Virgin Mobile Festival US.png

| location = United States, Canada

| years_active= 2006 - 2013

| dates =

| genre = Rock

| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20170913154310/http://www.virginfestival.ca/ virginfestival.ca]

}}

The Virgin Fest, known as the Virgin Mobile FreeFest in the United States, was a rock festival held in the United States and Canada,{{Cite web|date=2014-07-30|title=R.I.P. Virgin Mobile FreeFest|url=https://consequence.net/2014/07/r-i-p-virgin-mobile-freefest/|access-date=2021-08-28|website=Consequence|language=en-US}} a spin-off from the V Festival held in the UK. In North America the Virgin name, and more recently the Virgin Mobile USA brand, were used in full to increase brand association, compared with the UK and Australian festivals, where association is simply implied through the use of the letter V.

Like the other variants of the V Festival, the events were sponsored by Virgin Mobile, in this case, either the U.S. or Canadian versions.

On June 30, 2006, Virgin Group chief Richard Branson announced the inaugural shows. The first, which took place in 2006 on September 9 and 10 at Toronto Islands Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, featured over 40 artists. A single-day show also took place in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States, on September 23, 2006, at the Pimlico Race Course with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Who.{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2006-06-30 |title=Branson Bringing Virgin Festival To North America |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/branson-bringing-virgin-festival-to-north-america-1352767/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}

Virgin Festival 2007 took place in Vancouver on May 20 and 21, as well as a return to Pimlico Race Course{{cite web|last1=Assaf|first1=Christopher|title=The Police at Virgin Mobile Festival|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/music/bal-bs-md-virgin-05-ffaf20101101072653-photo.html|website=Baltimore Sun|access-date=22 February 2017}} in Baltimore for an expanded two-day event on August 4 and 5 and Toronto on September 8 and 9. On October 16, 2007, an event was announced to take place in Calgary, Alberta, on June 21 and 22, 2008. The festival also returned to Baltimore on August 9 and 10, 2008.

The shows in Baltimore were put on by Seth Hurwitz's I.M.P. Productions, owner and operator of the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., and the former producer of the HFStival.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}

In 2007, Richard Branson was encouraged by Daryl Hannah to green the Baltimore festival by bringing in zero waste event producers The Spitfire Agency.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}

The 2009 Virgin Mobile Festival, dubbed the Virgin Mobile FreeFest, was held on August 30, 2009 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. The festival returned to Merriweather on Saturday, September 25, 2010,{{Cite web|date=2010-12-01|title=Virgin Mobile FreeFest 2010|url=http://virginmobilefestival.com/|access-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201114347/http://virginmobilefestival.com/|archive-date=2010-12-01}} and was once again a free event.{{Cite web|title=Baltimore Sun|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-md.briefs16mar16,0,7214588.story|website=Baltimore Sun}} {{Dead link|date=August 2021}} The Virgin Mobile FreeFest also returned to Merriweather Post Pavilion on September 10, 2011. The tickets were reported to have "freed out" in just over five minutes after being available. The headliners for the 2011 Virgin Mobile FreeFest were Deadmau5 (house), Cee Lo Green (hip-hop/pop), and the Black Keys (indie).

2013 lineup

=Virgin Mobile FreeFest (Saturday, September 21st)=

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Pavilion Stage

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West Stage

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Dance Forest

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2012 lineup

=Virgin Mobile FreeFest (Saturday, October 6th)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-12-29|title=Virgin Mobile Live|url=http://virginmobilelive.com/|access-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121229215926/http://virginmobilelive.com/|archive-date=2012-12-29}}</ref>=

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Pavilion Stage

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West Stage

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Dance Forest

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2011 lineup

=Virgin Mobile FreeFest (Saturday, September 10th)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2011-11-10|title=Home {{!}} Virgin Mobile FreeFest 2011|url=http://www.virginmobilefestival.com/|access-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110070447/http://www.virginmobilefestival.com/|archive-date=2011-11-10}}</ref>=

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Pavilion Stage

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West Stage

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Dance Forest

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2010 lineup

=Virgin Mobile FreeFest (September 25th)=

The Virgin Mobile Freefest line-up was announced at 11AM on July 20, 2010.{{Cite web|date=2010-10-02|title=Virgin Mobile FreeFest 2010|url=http://www.virginmobilefestival.com/|access-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101002213059/http://www.virginmobilefestival.com/|archive-date=2010-10-02}}

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Pavilion Stage

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West Stage

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Dance Forest

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Artist T.I. canceled his performance due to ongoing legal issues.{{Cite web|title=Midnight Sun: Virgin Mobile FreeFest Schedule|url=http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/midnight_sun/blog/2010/09/virgin_mobile_freefest_schedul_1.html}}

2009 lineup

=Virgin Mobile FreeFest (August 30th)=

The Virgin Mobile FreeFest was held at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. In an official statement released by Virgin Mobile, it was stated that due to the current economic conditions, admission to the festival would be free of charge for all concertgoers. The sponsor hoped that concertgoers would donate $5 to youth homelessness through its charitable initiative known as the RE*Generation. Concertgoers could also purchase special packages that came with a T-shirt, as well as tickets and the donation.{{Cite web|date=2009-07-27|title=WHY FREE? / Virgin Mobile FreeFest 2009|url=http://www.virginmobilefestival.com/whyfree.html|access-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727111647/http://www.virginmobilefestival.com/whyfree.html|archive-date=2009-07-27}}{{cite web |url=http://www.virginmobilefestival.com/#/tickets/karma/ |title=VIRGIN MOBILE FESTIVAL 2008 |website=www.virginmobilefestival.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225180740/http://www.virginmobilefestival.com/ |archive-date=2008-02-25}}

Sunday, August 30

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=Virgin Festival Montreal (June 19 & 20)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-05-10|title=Virgin Festival Canada 2009 by Virgin Mobile: Montreal|url=http://www.virginfestival.ca/montreal/|access-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510233423/http://www.virginfestival.ca/montreal/|archive-date=2009-05-10}}</ref>=

Friday, June 19

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Saturday, June 20

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=Virgin Festival Nova Scotia (July 4)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-07-03|title=Virgin Festival Canada 2009 by Virgin Mobile: Nova Scotia|url=http://virginfestival.ca/novascotia/|access-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703005720/http://virginfestival.ca/novascotia/|archive-date=2017-07-03}}</ref>=

The venue was the Citadel Hill concert site, adjacent to the Halifax Common.

Saturday, July 4

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Tragically Hip cancelled due to family medical issues.

=Virgin Festival British Columbia (July 25 & July 26)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-06-11|title=Virgin Festival Canada 2009 by Virgin Mobile: BC|url=http://www.virginfestival.ca/bc|access-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611165817/http://www.virginfestival.ca/bc|archive-date=2009-06-11}}</ref>=

Saturday, July 25

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Sunday, July 26

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=Virgin Festival Alberta (August 8th & 9th)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-07-04|title=Virgin Festival Canada 2009 by Virgin Mobile: Alberta|url=http://www.virginfestival.ca/alberta/|access-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090704130548/http://www.virginfestival.ca/alberta/|archive-date=2009-07-04}}</ref>=

Saturday, August 8

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Sunday, August 9

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=Virgin Festival Ontario (August 29th & 30th)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-07-17|title=Virgin Festival Canada 2009 by Virgin Mobile: Ontario|url=http://virginfestival.ca/ontario|access-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717032406/http://virginfestival.ca/ontario|archive-date=2009-07-17}}</ref>=

Saturday, August 29

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Virgin Mobile Stage

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Virgin Radio Stage

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Boardwalk Stage

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Sunday, August 30

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Virgin Mobile Stage

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Virgin Radio Stage

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Boardwalk Stage

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2008 line-up

=Virgin Festival Calgary (June 21 & 22)=

Saturday, June 21

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Virgin Mobile Stage

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TD Music Stage

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Sunday, June 22

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Virgin Mobile Stage

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TD Music Stage

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=Virgin Mobile Festival Baltimore Day 1 (August 9)=

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South Stage

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North Stage

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Dance Tent'

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=Virgin Mobile Festival Baltimore Day 2 (August 10)=

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South Stage

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North Stage

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Dance Tent

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=Virgin Festival Toronto Day 1 (September 6)=

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Virgin Mobile Stage

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TD Music Stage

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Oh Henry! Stage

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Bacardi B-Live Stage

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Switch and SebastiAn were replaced by MSTRKRFT due to delayed flights.

=Virgin Festival Toronto Day 2 (September 7)=

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Virgin Mobile Stage

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TD Music Stage

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Oh Henry! Stage

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Bacardi B-Live Stage

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2007 line-up

=Virgin Festival (Vancouver) Day 1=

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=Virgin Festival (Vancouver) Day 2=

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=Virgin Festival (Baltimore) Day 1=

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North (Main) Stage

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South (Side) Stage

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Dance Tent

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=Virgin Festival (Baltimore) Day 2=

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North (Main) Stage

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South (Side) Stage

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Dance Tent

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=Virgin Festival (Toronto) Day 1=

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Virgin Mobile Stage

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Future Shop Stage

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Budweiser Stage

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B-Live Stage

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=Virgin Festival (Toronto) Day 2=

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Virgin Mobile Stage

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Future Shop Stage

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Budweiser Stage

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B-Live Stage

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2006 line-up

=Virgin Festival (Toronto) Day 1=

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=Virgin Festival (Toronto) Day 2=

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Massive Attack were originally scheduled to headline but three days before the concert, it was announced that they had to postpone the first four concerts of their North American tour, including the Virgin Festival appearance, due to delays in receiving U.S. visas. They were replaced by Broken Social Scene.

=Virgin Festival (Baltimore)=

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See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.virginfestival.ca/ Virgin Festival] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060705050403/http://www.virginfestival.ca/ |date=2006-07-05 }} Official Canadian site

{{Virgin_Group}}

{{Music venues of Maryland}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Recurring events established in 2006

Category:Rock festivals in the United States

F

Category:Music festivals in Maryland

Category:Folk festivals in Canada

Category:Rock festivals in Canada

Category:Free festivals

Category:Music festivals in Vancouver

Category:Music festivals in Toronto

Category:Music festivals in Montreal

Category:Music festivals in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Category:Music festivals in Calgary