Grandoozy 2018 Recap: what did Denver's new festival bring to the table?

Grandoozy is over and Denver is still recovering from one doozy of a weekend! The three-day festival brought more than 55,000 Denverites together for an unforgettable weekend full of music, drinks, games, food, fireworks and fun. Grandoozy is considered Denver's first large-scale festival since Mile High Music Festival back in 2011. Did you miss out on Grandoozy? Here are some highlights from last weekend.

Photo Credit: Film Magic

MUSIC

60 artists were on the line up, including big names like Kendrick Lamar, Stevie Wonder, Chainsmokers, Young the Giant, Phoenix, Logic, Miguel, and Florence & The Machine. Not only were there big artists, but smaller local artists for festival-goers to discover.

There were three large stages and two smaller venues. The main stages were the Rock Stage, Paper Stage, and Scissors Stage. The smaller venues were called The Break Room & The 80's Ski Lodge. Some of the vendors also had small concerts going on at their booths, including Capital One, Bud Light and Visible.

The main stages were large and had professional lighting design to put on epic shows for all artists. The sound was great, especially for the headliners - as no other performances were going on during those time slots. My favorite performance was Kendrick Lamar.

Photo Credit: Film Magic

FOOD/DRINK

There was no lack of food at Grandoozy, that's for sure. They even named their food line up "Devour Denver" because they had so many amazing options. Some well-known Denver staples were in attendance, including Illegal Pete's, Snooze, Highland Tap & Burgers, Carbon Doughnut Dispensary, Steuben's and Biju's Little Curry Shop. They also had smaller, newer food options like Super Heady Tacos, Comal, and Sugarfire Smoke House. Below is the Bacon Wrapped Bacon from Sugarfire Smoke House.

There were a ton of drink options for all kinds of drinkers. They had spirits at the "Flight School", where for $20 you could sample 5 different kinds of whatever your liquor of choice is. We did the Agave Tour - which allowed us to sample & learn about Tequila/Mezcal. Grandoozy also had an "Arts & Crafts" tent where 20 local breweries had cold craft beer on tap. If your one of those people that just likes a basic brew, Bud Light offered chilled four packs of tall cans that came in a cooler bag.

Deep Eddy was also there and had a cute VW van parked next to the Rock Stage that featured cornhole, bean bag chairs, a photo booth, & craft cocktails. My favorite was the Lemon Doozy, which was made with fresh lemonade & Deep Eddy Original Vodka. It was quite refreshing on this unusually hot September weekend.

Photo Credit: Matthew Howshar

14 Hands Winery has been going on tour throughout the US this summer and made a stop at Grandoozy as well with their horse trailer wine bar. They were offering all kinds of wine - including a delicious Frosé made with strawberry purée, hibiscus, & lemon. The line for the Frosé was pretty crazy, but it was worth it. Hands down my favorite drink of the weekend.

& MORE

There was so much more to see and do at Grandoozy. They had speakers, yoga, vendors, merchandise, and artists. There was morning yoga and "Backyard Chats" about business, the outdoors, and conservation. There were charging stations, private concerts, and food samples. There were "Express Lanes" at the bars that allowed you to pay with Apple Pay. You could also order merchandise and drinks on the Grandoozy app before waiting in line. Last but not least, there was a South Park County Fair where you could play free carnival games.

So the question remains, will Grandoozy return in 2019? Denver will have to wait in see, as it has not been confirmed or denied yet. The goal of the organizers is to bring Grandoozy back. I sure hope so!