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Gerald Ford Amphitheater

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 Vail, 81657

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About

The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, the Amp to most of Vail, is the town's summer stage: an open-air venue in Ford Park, run by the nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation, where a covered pavilion faces a grassy hillside lawn with the mountains around it. President and Mrs. Ford attended its opening in June 1987, and Willie Nelson headlined its first major concert that summer.

It suits almost anyone in Vail on a summer evening. Families bring a blanket for the free concerts, dance and classical audiences come for the festivals, and music fans get touring headliners in a venue that holds about 2,600 people rather than an arena crowd.

What's on

The season mixes free and ticketed nights. Bulleit Hot Summer Nights is the free concert series, running since the venue's first summer. Amp Summer Concerts bring touring acts booked with AEG Presents, the Vail Dance Festival and the Bravo! Vail Music Festival's visiting orchestras fill much of the summer, and Mountains of Music plays during the GoPro Mountain Games. Après at The Amp is a spring concert weekend in April, not a bar. The venue also hosts community events such as high school graduations.

Pavilion or lawn

The covered pavilion holds 1,326 reserved seats in four sections, and a roof shelters it and the stage from Vail's frequent afternoon showers. The lawn is first come, first served and uncovered, so bring a layer. You may bring your own food and a small cooler, blankets and low lawn chairs, but not outside alcohol or pets. The FAQ lists the limits.

Getting there

The Amp sits beside Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Ford Park, a short walk east of Vail Village. The simplest approach in summer is to park in the Vail Village structure, which is free after 3 p.m., and walk over. The free Town of Vail bus also runs there. The small Ford Park lot charges on event nights and fills early, and golf carts shuttle guests down the path before and after shows.

Tickets and private events

Buy through the official sellers: ticketsvail.com for Vail Valley Foundation concerts, vaildancetickets.org for the dance festival and bravovail.org for Bravo! Vail. The venue warns that tickets from other sites may cost more or be invalid, and all sales are final. The whole venue, the Social Courtyard (up to 160 guests) or the Borgen Family Patrons Plaza (up to 100) can be rented for weddings, receptions and corporate events, with in-house catering.

Food and drink inside

Gore Creek Concessions runs the venue's food and bars, from pretzels and burgers to wine, beer and cocktails. It is cashless, and it serves from the time gates open until the end of a concert, or until intermission at dance and Bravo! performances.

Sources: venue information, history, policies, concessions, rent the Amp, Après at The Amp. Checked September 23, 2026.

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Company Name
Gerald Ford Amphitheater
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Location
530 S Frontage Rd E
Vail, 81657

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About Gerald Ford Amphitheater

Quick answer: Gerald Ford Amphitheater is a business at 530 S Frontage Rd E, Vail, CO 81657. Vail's open-air summer venue in Ford Park: free Hot Summer Nights, Amp Summer Concerts, Vail Dance Festival and Bravo! Vail, plus lawn and parking tips.

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The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, the Amp to most of Vail, is the town's summer stage: an open-air venue in Ford Park, run by the nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation, where a covered pavilion faces a grassy hillside lawn with the mountains around it. President and Mrs. Ford attended its opening in June 1987, and Willie Nelson headlined its first major concert that summer.

It suits almost anyone in Vail on a summer evening. Families bring a blanket for the free concerts, dance and classical audiences come for the festivals, and music fans get touring headliners in a venue that holds about 2,600 people rather than an arena crowd.

What's on

The season mixes free and ticketed nights. Bulleit Hot Summer Nights is the free concert series, running since the venue's first summer. Amp Summer Concerts bring touring acts booked with AEG Presents, the Vail Dance Festival and the Bravo! Vail Music Festival's visiting orchestras fill much of the summer, and Mountains of Music plays during the GoPro Mountain Games. Après at The Amp is a spring concert weekend in April, not a bar. The venue also hosts community events such as high school graduations.

Pavilion or lawn

The covered pavilion holds 1,326 reserved seats in four sections, and a roof shelters it and the stage from Vail's frequent afternoon showers. The lawn is first come, first served and uncovered, so bring a layer. You may bring your own food and a small cooler, blankets and low lawn chairs, but not outside alcohol or pets. The FAQ lists the limits.

Getting there

The Amp sits beside Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Ford Park, a short walk east of Vail Village. The simplest approach in summer is to park in the Vail Village structure, which is free after 3 p.m., and walk over. The free Town of Vail bus also runs there. The small Ford Park lot charges on event nights and fills early, and golf carts shuttle guests down the path before and after shows.

Tickets and private events

Buy through the official sellers: ticketsvail.com for Vail Valley Foundation concerts, vaildancetickets.org for the dance festival and bravovail.org for Bravo! Vail. The venue warns that tickets from other sites may cost more or be invalid, and all sales are final. The whole venue, the Social Courtyard (up to 160 guests) or the Borgen Family Patrons Plaza (up to 100) can be rented for weddings, receptions and corporate events, with in-house catering.

Food and drink inside

Gore Creek Concessions runs the venue's food and bars, from pretzels and burgers to wine, beer and cocktails. It is cashless, and it serves from the time gates open until the end of a concert, or until intermission at dance and Bravo! performances.

Sources: venue information, history, policies, concessions, rent the Amp, Après at The Amp. Checked September 23, 2026.

Music Venues
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Amenities at Gerald Ford Amphitheater

  • Covered pavilion seating
  • Lawn general admission
  • ADA accessible seating
  • Concessions
  • Cashless venue
  • Bike valet
  • Golf-cart shuttle
  • Private rentals

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the capacity of the Ford amphitheater?
The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater holds about 2,600 guests in total. The covered pavilion seats 1,326 in reserved seats across four sections, and the grassy lawn holds the rest on a first come, first served basis. It is deliberately intimate: even the biggest touring acts play to a lawn-and-pavilion crowd, not an arena.
Where is the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater?
In Ford Park at 540 South Frontage Road East, Vail, CO 81657, next to Betty Ford Alpine Gardens and a short walk east of Vail Village. From the Vail Village parking structure, head east past the softball fields and follow the paved path down to the venue, or take the Gore Creek Trail. (This is the Vail venue, not the Ford Amphitheater in Colorado Springs.)
How does seating work, pavilion or lawn?
Two choices. The pavilion is covered, reserved seating: 1,326 seats in four sections of about 17 rows, under the same roof as the stage. The lawn is uncovered general admission, first come, first served, on a grassy hillside behind the pavilion; bring a blanket or tarp up to 5 by 7 feet, or a low lawn chair no more than 5 inches off the ground. ADA accessible seats are available through the box office.
Where should I buy tickets?
From the official sellers only: ticketsvail.com for Vail Valley Foundation concerts such as Amp Summer Concerts, vaildancetickets.org for the Vail Dance Festival, bravovail.org for Bravo! Vail, or the venue box office. Tickets from other sites may be more expensive, invalid, or ineligible for box office help. All sales are final, with no refunds or exchanges, and every child over the age of two needs a ticket. Gates open one hour before showtime unless your ticket says otherwise.
Are there free concerts?
Yes. Bulleit Hot Summer Nights is a free Tuesday-night concert series at the Amp each summer; it has run since the venue's first summer. A free bike valet is offered at the entrance on concert nights. Check the calendar on grfavail.com for this year's dates and line-up.
What can I bring?
Food, a personal cooler no larger than 18 quarts, empty water bottles, sealed non-alcoholic drinks, blankets or tarps up to 5 by 7 feet, umbrellas, and lawn chairs no more than 5 inches off the ground. Bags are searched and oversized bags are not allowed. Outside alcohol, pets (except service animals), smoking and vaping, and weapons of any kind are not allowed, and there is no video or audio recording at major events.
What if it rains?
Shows generally go ahead. The stage and the pavilion seating are under a large roof, and the venue notes that Vail's afternoon and evening showers are usually brief, hit-and-run affairs, so weather is not a factor for most performances. The lawn is uncovered, so lawn guests should bring rain gear and a layer. If a performance is ever changed or postponed for weather, the venue announces it on grfavail.com and its social channels. All ticket sales are final.
How does parking work?
Summer parking in the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures is free when you enter after 3 p.m. (until 4 a.m.), and both are a short walk or free bus ride from the Amp. The Ford Park lot charges $20 on event nights, by credit card only, and there is limited paid parking at the soccer field; on paid nights, cars arriving with four or more people park free under the FOUR + FOR FREE carpool program (ask the attendant to validate). Golf carts run between the top of the path and the venue before and after shows.
When is the box office open?
In season, the box office beside the venue at 540 S Frontage Rd East is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., or through intermission on performance evenings. It closes for the winter, when tickets are sold at the Vilar Performing Arts Center box office in Beaver Creek. Phone (970) 845-8497 or toll-free (888) 920-2787; email [email protected].
Is there food and drink at the venue?
Yes. Gore Creek Concessions sells snacks, grill food, beer, wine and cocktails. It is 100% cashless, and it serves from the time gates open until the end of a concert, or until intermission at Bravo! Vail and Vail Dance Festival performances. You may also bring your own food and sealed non-alcoholic drinks (see "What can I bring?").

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