Outside Festival Sets New Standard for Sustainability at Music Festivals

DENVER, Colo. – August 27, 2025 – The sustainability impact report released today by the Outside Festival and Summit, in partnership with Green Disco, underscores the brand’s commitment to scaling a sustainable and low-emissions event. While this year’s Outside Festival on May 31 and June 1, 2025, saw nearly doubled attendance from the inaugural event in 2024, measuring the event’s environmental impact remained a primary focus for organizers, resulting in a triple-reduced carbon footprint.

“We are proud of the progress we continue to make across our sustainability indicators year over year,” said Robin Thurston, CEO of Outside Interactive Inc. “As we scale this event to be the global gathering of the outdoor industry for years to come, our commitment to Colorado’s beloved natural spaces and Outside’s passion for environmentally conscious events remains solid.”

According to the report:

Plastic Reduction

The festival successfully avoided the use of over 196,000 single-use plastic bottles compared to 21,000 in 2024. Thanks to its souvenir refillable cup program, 15,000 reusable cups were distributed, with fewer than 1% ending up in waste streams.

Smarter Energy Use

The Outside Festival reported a major reduction in on-site energy consumption. By implementing large-scale battery systems, Outside Festival cut overall fuel use by 95%, dramatically reducing the event’s carbon footprint. These efforts contributed to a threefold decrease in carbon emissions (105.12 metric tons of CO2e) compared to 2024’s numbers.

Waste Diversion

In total, the festival kept 25,317 pounds of waste out of landfills, boasting a 36% waste diversion rate, notably above the industry average of 30%.

Sustainable Transport

An estimated 18% of fans walked or cycled, generating zero emissions, while an additional 12% of festivalgoers opted for low-emission transit options like buses, trains, or electric scooters.

Transportation initiatives showed notable progress in 2025, as nearly 30% of attendees chose sustainable travel methods, including walking, biking, buses, and trains. Over 1,000 people biked in daily, taking advantage of the secure bike parking on festival grounds, courtesy of the Colorado Tourism Office. 

This data is significant because it demonstrates that sustainable practices can scale successfully, even as attendance grows. The Outside Festival will return to Denver in 2026, with exact dates and location to be announced in late 2025.

About the Outside Festival and Summit

The second annual Outside Festival and Summit took place in downtown Denver from May 29 – June 1, 2025. The Outside Festival, presented by Capital One and REI, May 31 – June 1, is a celebration of everything outdoors, featuring music, films, speakers, gear, and more. The event is driven by a partnership between Outside Interactive, Inc., The State of Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Office, and Visit Denver—all with a shared vision to make the outdoors more accessible and more inclusive. The Outside Summit, May 29 – June 1, 2025, is the outdoor industry’s premier networking conference. For more information please visit theoutsidefestival.com.

About Outside Interactive, Inc.

Outside Interactive, Inc.– a media and news winner of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies 2025– is the premier destination for outdoor inspiration, activation, and celebration. Each year, Outside reaches more than 300 million unique users and has more than 100 million registered users across its network of 25 media, service, and utility brands, including Outside, MapMyFitness, Velo, Yoga Journal,Pinkbike, Gaia GPS, Trailforks, athleteReg, and more. Outside’s mission is to get everyone outside, experiencing healthy, connected, and fulfilling lives by creating an experience for both longtime adventurers and those just getting started. Outside’s subscription offering, Outside+, bundles best-in-class storytelling, videos, gear reviews, mapping apps, online courses, discounted event access, and more. Learn more at outsideonline.com/outsideplus