Gerald Ford Amphitheatre

The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheatre is Vail’s premier outdoor performance venue, set within Ford Park at 540 S. Frontage Road East against a sweeping backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. Operated by the Vail Valley Foundation (VVF)—a nonprofit dedicated to enriching the educational and cultural life of the Vail Valley—the amphitheatre hosts a full summer season of concerts, dance, classical music, comedy, and community events each year. With roughly 2,600 total seats split between a covered pavilion and an expansive grassy hillside lawn, it is considered one of the most scenic music settings in the American West.

The venue opened on June 27, 1987, with a dedication ceremony attended by former President Gerald R. Ford and Betty Ford, Bob Hope, and Dolores Hope. Ford himself cut the ribbon after years of fundraising and construction led by the VVF. Willie Nelson headlined the inaugural concert on July 16, 1987, with tickets priced at $100 for reserved seating and $25 for general admission. When it opened, capacity stood at 1,200. A $9 million renovation in 2001 expanded and modernized the facility, and a further $12 million renovation in 2014 added terraced lawn seating and a new front entrance called The Lobby. A comprehensive $19 million renovation began in 2025 with completion targeted for 2028. The land is owned by the Town of Vail and leased to the VVF on a long-term basis.

Today the pavilion seats 1,326 guests across four covered sections, while the lawn accommodates an additional 1,300 on a first-come, first-served basis—total capacity exceeds 2,600. The lawn was terraced in 2014 for improved sightlines. Summer programming includes the Vail Dance Festival (launched in 1989 when the Bolshoi Ballet Academy performed here), the Bravo! Vail classical music series, the free weekly Hot Summer Nights series, and a lineup of touring headliners. Past artists include Willie Nelson, Santana, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant, Phish, Trey Anastasio, Phil Lesh, Steve Martin and Martin Short, and Bob Weir and Wolf Bros.

Good to Know

• Ages: Children over the age of two require a ticket for all events.
• Bar and concessions: On-site food and beverage vendors operate throughout events. No outside alcohol is permitted. Guests may bring sealed non-alcoholic beverages and personal picnics in bags no larger than 18 qt. Concessions are cashless.
• Parking: Parking at the Ford Park Lot (530 S. Frontage Rd. E.) costs $20 per car (credit card only; cash not accepted). Free parking is available at the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures. The FOUR + FOR FREE carpool program offers free Ford Lot parking to vehicles arriving with four or more passengers. ADA parking is available at the Ford Park Lot ($15) and free at the Village structure; a courtesy golf cart shuttle—including a wheelchair-accessible cart—operates from 30 minutes before doors through the end of each event.
• ADA: Accessible reserved seating is available in the pavilion (Section 1 Row L and Section 4 Row O) and on the lawn. ASL interpreters available with 14 days’ advance notice; assistive listening devices available with 48 hours’ notice. Contact boxoffice@vvf.org or 970.845.8497.
• House Rules: No re-entry. No smoking or vaping. No drones, weapons, outside alcohol, pets (service animals permitted), or full facial coverings. Lawn chairs with legs over 5 inches are prohibited; low-profile chairs welcome. Prohibited recording of audio or video at major events. All ticket sales are final—no refunds or exchanges.

Phone: 970.845.8497 — Website: grfavail.com