Grateville Dead 2026

Come Be Part of the Magic! We are thrilled to invite you to join the Grateville Dead 2026 family! Our vendors are the heartbeat of the festival, creating the vibrant "Shakedown Street" atmosphere our attendees love. We are looking for partners who are ready to share their unique crafts, art, and goods with our community all weekend long.

Please review the details below before applying. We can't wait to see what you have to offer!

 

 

Come Be Part of the Magic! We are thrilled to invite you to join the Grateville Dead 2026 family! Our vendors are the heartbeat of the festival, creating the vibrant "Shakedown Street" atmosphere our attendees love. We are looking for partners who are ready to share their unique crafts, art, and goods with our community all weekend long.

Please review the details below before applying. We can't wait to see what you have to offer!

 

 
 

 

Come Be Part of the Magic! We are thrilled to invite you to join the Grateville Dead 2026 family! Our vendors are the heartbeat of the festival, creating the vibrant "Shakedown Street" atmosphere our attendees love. We are looking for partners who are ready to share their unique crafts, art, and goods with our community all weekend long.

Please review the details below before applying. We can't wait to see what you have to offer!

 

PRESENTING SPONSOR- $10,000 Be the Face of the Festival! Your brand takes center stage by presenting Grateville Dead 2024 with a “Your Brand Presents Grateville Dead 2025” on all print, media and advertising. Enjoy prime placement on all merchandise, marketing materials, ads, banners, and your brand name attached to the official Grateville 2025 logos and including across every Road to Grateville concert and event series. Plus with your brand's logo on a big banner high and center above the stage you will have a dominating position above the stage and clearly visible on cameras, photography and entirely across the venue. Seize the spotlight and own the narrative! Also includes: 10x10 Booth space with electric provided (20) all-weekend event tickets (great for driving customers to join your mailing list or website, for giveaways to valued customers, raffles, etc.) (2) vendor lanyards for vending staff (5) VIP tickets (great as a gift to a high valued customer or client) (1) 3x6 large top centerstage banner featuring “YOUR BRAND Presents” (2) Shared 3x6 Branded stage banners (2) 9’x3’ vertical stage banners on either side of rear of stage featuring your brand LOGO the the Grateville logo and decorative elements. (4) 3’x6’ banners on interior perimeter fencing. (1) 3’’x6’ banner on exterior entry way perimeter fence First top line logo billing placement on any marketing, print or digital media which includes sponsor logos.

STAGE SPONSOR- $10,000 Command the Main Stage! Feature your brand on the iconic “Your Brand’s Dave Young Memorial Stage” banner front and center. With two additional large vertical banners flanking the stage, your logo and message will saturate event photography, video, and social media—ensuring maximum exposure. Also includes: 10x10 Booth space (20) all-weekend event tickets (great for driving customers to join your mailing list or website, for giveaways to valued customers, raffles, etc.) (5) VIP tickets (great as a gift to a high valued customer or client) (2) vendor lanyards for vending staff (2) Shared 3x6 Branded stage banners (8) Shared3’x6’ banners on interior perimeter fencing. (1) 3’’x6’ banner on rear of stage over the vendor boardwalk. Second top line logo billing placement on any marketing, print or digital media which includes sponsor logos.

ACOUSTIC STAGE SPONSOR- $5,000 Command the Second Stage! Feature your brand on the iconic “Your Brand’s Christopher Boone Memorial Stage” banner front and center. With two additional large vertical banners flanking the stage, your logo and message will saturate event photography, video, and social media—ensuring maximum exposure. Also includes: 10x10 Booth space (20) all-weekend event tickets (great for driving customers to join your mailing list or website, for giveaways to valued customers, raffles, etc.) (5) VIP tickets (great as a gift to a high valued customer or client) (2) vendor lanyards for vending staff (2) Shared 3x6 Branded stage banners (8) Shared3’x6’ banners on interior perimeter fencing. (1) 3’’x6’ banner on rear of stage over the vendor boardwalk. Second top line logo billing placement on any marketing, print or digital media which includes sponsor logos.

VIP & BACKSTAGE EXPERIENCE SPONSOR- $5,000 Elevate the VIP Experience and speak directly to artists and backstage staff! Your BRAND takes over the Xiomara Greenroom and Band Hideaway—a 10x20 private oasis for bands and producers—plus the new 10x10 Deadstop tent featuring a decorative shady spot with free water & hand sanitizer (or also passing out/selling your merch and or info) for all the patrons of Grateville. Immerse your brand in the ultimate backstage hospitality. Key Deliverables & Custom Assets Green Room Branding & Artist Hospitality: The large 8 foot YOUR BRAND Backstage banner on exterior of Green Room facing Shakedown Street in the center of vendors. Branding on all backstage VIP, and Greenroom signage. Green Room & Backstage Access:. High-impact exposure to all artists, management, and media. Hospitality 10 General Admission Weekend Passes. 1 Private VIP Yurt (6-person capacity) with backstage access, luxury amenities, and stocked beverages. Also includes: 10x10 Booth space OR table space inside the Deadstop tent (2) all-weekend event tickets (great for driving customers to join your mailing list or website, for giveaways to valued customers, raffles, etc.) (2) vendor lanyards for vending staff (2) VIP lanyards (2) VIP tickets (great as a gift to a high valued customer or client) (2) Shared 3x6 Branded stage banners (8) Shared3’x6’ banners on interior perimeter fencing. (1) 3’’x6’ banner on rear of stage over the vendor boardwalk. Fourth top line logo billing placement on any marketing, print or digital media which includes sponsor logos.

Let Us Wear Your Brand Loud and Proud! Imprint your BRAND logo or name on every wristband, pass, and lanyard worn by staff, vendors, bands, stage crew, security, and media. Your brand will be part of the festival’s heartbeat, seen by every attendee, taken home by many and even saved as keepsakes by others. Deliverables 10x10 Booth space (2) vendor lanyards for vending staff (2) Shared 3x6 Branded stage banners (8) Shared3’x6’ banners on interior perimeter fencing. (1) 3’’x6’ banner on rear of stage over the vendor boardwalk. Third top line logo billing placement on any marketing, print or digital media which includes sponsor logos. Hospitality 10 General Admission Weekend Passes.

Dates: October 16 – 18, 2026 Location: Brown-Forman Amphitheater, Louisville, KY

Instructions: Thank you for your interest in playing Grateville Dead! We are looking for acts that honor the spirit of the music, community, and improvisation. Please fill out the details below. We review every submission, but due to the volume of applications, we will only contact those selected for a hold or booking.

Hey, Grateville family! For the past ten years, we've come together as a community at Louisville's beautiful Waterfront Park to celebrate the music and spirit that binds us. What started in 2015 as a small, one-day gathering of friends has blossomed into a beloved three-day festival—a true family reunion for Deadheads and music lovers from across the entire region. Grateville Dead has become a Louisville tradition. It's a place where we can bring our kids (who 12 and under have always gotten in free) to dance on the lawn, where we can support local artists and craft vendors, and where we can all share in the magic at the Brown-Forman Amphitheater. But that magic comes with a very real cost. The Challenge We're Facing Here’s the truth: Grateville Dead is run by a core team of just three dedicated people. For the last decade, we have poured our lives into this event, working year-round for little to no pay. We do it for the love of the music and this community. Every year, we've just barely covered our costs. In the last two years, we’ve worked hard to make the festival even better. We’ve brought in bigger national headliners like Keller Williams, added a second stage to feature more local and regional talent, and hosted more incredible vendors than ever before. This growth has been amazing, but it also means our production costs—for sound, lights, staging, security, and artist fees—have skyrocketed. Our Goal: Keep Grateville for the People, Not for Profit We are now at a crossroads. To cover these rising costs, the typical festival playbook has two options: Raise ticket prices by 50% or more, just as many other festivals have done. Sell out to large corporate partners and change the entire vibe of the event we’ve all built together. We prefer neither. The entire point of Grateville Dead has always been to keep it accessible, independent, and focused on the community. We believe this festival belongs to you, not to a big-name sponsor. How You Can Help We are launching this crowdfund to raise funds directly for the production costs of Grateville Dead 2026. Your contribution will go straight into the nuts and bolts of the festival. It will pay for the sound systems, the lights, the stagehands, and all the infrastructure that allows the bands to play and keeps us all safe. By contributing, you are making a direct investment in the future of this festival. You are helping to: -Keep ticket prices affordable for everyone. -Preserve the independent spirit of Grateville. -Ensure our 11th year is the best one yet, without corporate banners plastered everywhere. If this festival has ever given you a perfect sunset moment, a new friendship, or a weekend of joy with your family, please consider chipping in. Whether it's $5, $50, or just sharing this link with a friend, every single bit helps. Let’s come together and show what this community is capable of. Let's make sure the music never stops. Thank you, we love you, and we can't wait to see you on the waterfront in 2026! Weir everywhere, -The Grateville Dead Team