Three days in Tempe, big singalongs, and a festival that keeps getting better
February 20 – 22 we headed back to Tempe, Arizona for Innings Fest, and this year felt different right away. It is still a relatively new festival, but 2026 marked the first time it expanded to three full days. More music, more baseball tie-ins, more chances to just hang out in the sun and watch great live bands.
For anyone new to it, Innings Fest is built around a baseball theme. The main stage faces seating sections that look and feel like ballpark stands. There are batting cages, a fast pitch setup where you can test your arm, player signings, and appearances from MLB players throughout the weekend. It leans into the concept without feeling corny. At the end of the day, it is still very much about the music.
We stayed in downtown Phoenix, which turned out to be the perfect move. There is a super convenient light rail that runs straight to Tempe. It was only two dollars a ride and dropped us pretty much right at the festival entrance. No parking chaos, no ride share drama. Just hop on, hop off, and you are there.
Friday highlights
Friday set the tone fast.
OK Go were one of the early standouts. They are known for their wild music videos, but live they are just as creative. Damian Kulash made the set feel loose and interactive. After every song he invited the crowd to ask him a question, and people absolutely took him up on it. One fan asked him what his favorite potato was. He immediately said fried, then paused and admitted that maybe it was actually a russet. Some questions were thoughtful, some were completely ridiculous, and he answered all of them. It gave the whole set a playful energy that felt personal instead of scripted.
Grouplove followed with exactly the kind of high energy, good vibes performance you want early in a festival weekend. People were dancing, jumping, and already fully locked in. Their set matched the sunny Arizona atmosphere perfectly.
We watched Goo Goo Dolls from the seating stands that sit directly in front of and along both sides of the stage. That seating setup really reinforces the baseball feel. You can stand in the crowd if you want, but having the option to sit comfortably and still have a great view is underrated at a festival. Goo Goo Dolls delivered a nostalgic set that sounded polished and familiar in the best way.
The night ended with Mumford and Sons, and the crowd was ready. Their big builds and massive choruses felt even bigger with everyone singing along. It was one of those headlining sets where you look around and see people smiling at strangers because everyone knows the same words.
Saturday brings the energy
Saturday definitely felt more crowded. You could feel the anticipation in the air, especially with die hard Twenty One Pilots fans everywhere. The Clique showed up in full force.
Before that, The Fray and Dashboard Confessional delivered strong nostalgia moments. Dashboard closed with Vindicated and Hands Down, and you could see exactly who grew up in that era. People were screaming every word like it was 2004 again.
Cage the Elephant brought serious intensity. Matt Shultz was all over the stage, fully committed, and the band sounded huge. Their set felt like a jolt of electricity in the middle of the day.
Then came Twenty One Pilots, and they absolutely leaned into the moment. They debuted a few new songs compared to their previous tour, including the first live performances of Drag Path and Center Mass. The crowd reaction alone made it clear how invested their fanbase is. They also covered Milky Chance’s Stolen Dance, which gave the set a fun twist, and performed Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. That cover felt especially cool considering they first played it at Jack and Meg White’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction just a few months ago. Seeing it live with fireworks going off behind them was a standout moment of the weekend.
Sunday closes it out
By Sunday, the festival felt fully settled into its rhythm.
Bowling for Soup were as funny as you would expect. Tons of banter, plenty of crude humor, and they even played the Phineas and Ferb theme song that they wrote. The crowd ate it up. The vibe was chaotic in a way that felt similar to what we would later get from Blink 182.
Big Boi was a nice change of pace from the indie rock heavy lineup. As half of OutKast, he has a catalog that instantly gets people moving. Mixing classics with his own solo material, he turned the field into a dance floor and gave the weekend some hip hop flavor.
Sublime was one of the most interesting sets to watch. The band is now fronted by Jakob Nowell, the son of original lead singer Bradley Nowell. Seeing him take the helm and perform those iconic songs added an emotional layer to the set. It felt like both a tribute and a continuation.
Blink 182 closed the entire festival, and they were the perfect choice. They mixed new songs with the classics, and the crowd knew every word. The jokes, the chaos, the giant singalongs. It was everything you would want from a festival closer.
The baseball touches and the extras
Beyond the music, the baseball elements really do add something. The batting cages and fast pitch station were packed throughout the weekend. Player signings and MLB appearances gave fans something extra to check out between sets.
Food options were genuinely strong. We especially loved the Hawaiian noodles we grabbed one afternoon, and the pizza was surprisingly great too. There were plenty of options and, importantly, plenty of places to sit down and eat.
We do not always think VIP is necessary at festivals, but Innings Fest made a solid case for it. The amenities were well done, and the included drinks made the whole weekend feel relaxed and easy. It is not required to have a good time, but it definitely elevated the experience.
Final thoughts
Three days felt like the right move for Innings Fest. The expanded format gave the lineup room to breathe, and the one stage at a time setup meant you never felt like you were missing something big.
From OK Go debating potato preferences on stage to the Clique taking over Saturday night, to Blink 182 closing things out with thousands of voices singing along, Innings Fest 2026 delivered.
Tempe in February, baseball energy in the background, and a lineup built for live music fans. We will absolutely be back.
