Beatles Festival Announces New Location and Expansion in 2017

Abbey Road on the River and the city of Jeffersonville, IN are excited to announce that the world-famous annual summer kickoff event will move across the river from Louisville to Jeffersonville beginning Memorial Day weekend, May 25-29, 2017. The Beatles-inspired music festival will take place on the popular RiverStage, a floating performance venue anchored on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Jeffersonville, the new adjacent marina, and the scenic Big Four Station Park areas, providing an improved and modern location while allowing the peace, love and rock-n-roll to remain in the Louisville region.

In addition to both parties committing to a three-year partnership in Jeffersonville, Abbey Road on the River will expand the event into several new markets in the coming year. An offshoot of the successful, long-running festival will be held in Dallas, Texas on May 7, 2016. The event, called Abbey Road on the Square, will be held at Annette Strauss Square in the heart of the Dallas Arts District and will celebrate the words and music of The Beatles with a full day of performances from world-class tribute bands and internationally recognized musicians. Plans are currently underway to bring a satellite version of the festival back to Cleveland, its original hometown, in summer 2017. Abbey Road on the River has also formed an alliance with StarVista Cruises, a division of Time Life Books and Music, to be a marketing partner and talent consultant and programmer for multiple music-themed cruises in 2016 and 2017.

Each year, Abbey Road on the River draws a crowd of 20,000 attendees, roughly 80% of whom are within a 50 mile radius of Louisville.

“The best music from the 60’s and 70’s is still underrepresented in the developing festival market,” says Jacob, “and we feel the time is right to pursue new opportunities and expand the ultimate brand in Beatles and 60’s style festivals to fans of all ages in other cities.”

The 2016 festival, which will mark the 12th year the event has made Louisville its home, will be presented at the Belvedere Festival Park and supporting venues for the final time May 26-30. Headlining shows will include Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, the legendary Zombies, and the return of the festival’s greatest musical creation – the live performance of The Beatles LOVE album – performed note-for-note just as it was arranged by the late Sir George Martin, to whom the concert will be dedicated.