Festival announces season pass sale, new policy prohibiting outside liquids

By Reader Staff

The countdown to the Festival at Sandpoint’s 2025 Summer Performance Series has officially begun, and it’s time to mark your calendars, set your alarms and clear your schedules. Season passes for the 2025 series go on sale Tuesday, Oct. 1 for $349 before taxes and fees, Season passes provide Festival fans the opportunity to attend every 2025 Summer Series performance at a highly discounted rate. Due to the limited quantity, season passes are an exclusive deal, and when they are sold out, no more will be offered for that year’s Summer Series.

The 2025 Summer Series will take place at War Memorial Field from July 24 through Aug. 3, 2025.

The passes are reusable, transferable badges with a single barcode that guests use to scan in each night. They will not have individual tickets for each concert.

A season pass also grants entry through a designated entrance, located on the lakeside of the venue, which is much shorter — and therefore quicker — than the General Admission Gate.

Season passholders are unable to upgrade their badge admission to early entry. For early access to concerts, possible tax deductions and other series benefits, the Festival encourages concert goers to become season sponsors of the nonprofit organization.

Visit festivalatsandpoint.com/season-pass to learn more and purchase 2025 season passes.

In a change announced for the 2025 season, the Festival also announced it will no longer permit outside liquids at the venue. 

“After careful consideration, board approval, a multi-year review process, and consultation with community stakeholders and industry experts, including insurance providers, the Sandpoint Police Department, and talent agencies, the Festival at Sandpoint has made the difficult decision to prohibit the entry of outside liquids into the Summer Performance Series,” the Festival stated.

“This policy is being implemented to enhance the overall safety of all our attendees, volunteers and performers, while also complying with entertainment standards and insurance requirements,” the organization added.

Festival Executive Director Ali Baranski cited the increasing difficulty of obtaining adequate insurance for the event — with most insurers declining coverage altogether due to the previous beverage policy — and therefore threatening the ability for the nonprofit to continue fulfilling its mission.

“We are extremely proud the Festival at Sandpoint was able to keep this tradition, years and decades past most other venues; however, the liability risk to our nonprofit organization has simply become too great,” she stated.

The Festival at Sandpoint’s on-site bars will continue to serve beer, wine and cocktails for guests to purchase inside the venue. Non-alcoholic beverages will also be available for purchase at all Festival Street food vendor locations and bars.

Empty 32-ounce (or less) water bottles are encouraged, with free refillable water stations available throughout the venue. Glass of any kind is not permitted in the venue. Outside food will still be permitted in the venue.

“The Festival appreciates the understanding and cooperation of their valued guests as they work together to ensure a memorable and safe experience for everyone,” the organization stated.

Before purchasing a season pass, customers should be aware of all of the Festival at Sandpoint’s venue policies and procedures, which can be found at festivalatsandpoint.com/policies.

In addition, security measures, policies and procedures are subject to change at the artist’s discretion.