The Virgin Mobile Festival -- featuring Weezer, Blink-182 and more than a dozen other acts -- is moving to Columbia this year, and it will be free, organizers announced Wednesday.

The 2009 Virgin Mobile FreeFest, sponsored by Virgin Mobile USA, will take place Aug. 30 at Merriweather Post Pavilion. The roughly 35,000 tickets will be free, but Virgin Mobile customers and previous festival ticket buyers will get the chance to acquire them early.

Tickets for the rest of the public will be available through Ticketmaster starting at 10 a.m. June 27. The company is waving service fees if people pick up their tickets at Merriweather or at the 9:30 Club in Washington. Parking will also be free for the event.

“In a time of economic challenges and daily sacrifices, we wanted to throw a fantastic party so people could let loose and have a great time — on us,” said Sir Richard Branson, founder and president of Virgin Group, in a statement.
 
The grounds of Merriweather will be expanded to accommodate extra stages and a dance tent. In addition to Weezer and Blink-182, the lineup also includes Franz Ferdinand, Public Enemy, Jet, The National, Girl Talk, The Bravery, The Hold Steady, St. Vincent, Wale and Taking Back Sunday, according to a press release.
 
Last year’s Virgin Festival, which featured the Foo Fighters, Kanye West, Jack Johnson and Stone Temple Pilots, was held over two days at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. One-day passes started at $97.50 with a two-day VIP pass costing $450.

Virgin Mobile’s charitable organization, The Re*Generation, is putting a focus on youth homelessness during the event. Organizers are encouraging people to text “Freefest” to 20222 with a $5 donation in order to benefit homeless shelters around the country and people who volunteer shelters will be allowed into a special VIP area.

Click here for more information and the complete lineup.

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user comments (3)

user mdresident says...

With the concert being free, I can see this being a madhouse. They'd better have plenty of security lined up and ready. Also, this happens to fall on the last day before school starts in Howard County.

Posted 10:22 AM, 06.25.09 | Permalink

user givemeabreak says...

Not to fear, the HoCo PD will be out in force. You see, hanging out at Merriweather and busting drunk kids smoking weed is a HoCo cop's favorite activity. They can gang up on people and beat them up. They can actually look like they are protecting and serving, however, they don't have to do anything complicated, or put themselves in any real danger. Now, if you are looking for them to catch the guy who broke into your house, or robbed you on the bike path, well, you can forget about it.

Posted 2:46 PM, 06.26.09 | Permalink

user whatever says...

Yikes,I'm getting out of town when this concert comes...traffic is a nightmare!

Posted 5:11 AM, 06.28.09 | Permalink