Richard Branson Gets Walk Of Fame Star, Announces New U.S. Festival Series

Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson was presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles and took the opportunity to announce the launch of a revived Virgin Festival series in the US next year.

“The heart of the Virgin brand has always been music and entertainment. This morning I humbly accepted a star on the Walk of Fame, honoring Virgin’s long history with music and recording, and now I’m thrilled to share that we are launching Virgin Fest, an innovative music and technology experience that will be unlike any other festival series,” Branson said in press statement. “I am incredibly grateful to have received such an esteemed honor for the work Virgin has accomplished to-date, but I can’t help but think we are really just getting started.”

The festivals, which are billed as a series of “multi-experiential” events structured around music, will be produced by Virgin Produced CEO Jason Felts and KAABOO music festival founder Bryan Gordon.

The festivals hope to stand out in the already-crowded U.S. festival market through a commitment to diverse musical acts, and a committment to sustainability.

Virgin also touted their planned high tech approach to festivals and said they plan to use technology such as cashless pay, seamless upgrades, innovative VIP experiences and non-profit integrations throughout.

“Our brand’s commitment to the music industry coupled with my partner’s shared appreciation for one-of-a-kind experiences makes the launch of Virgin Fest that much more exciting,” said Felts in a release. “We look forward to bringing guests a positive festival experience so unique, and so inclusive, that it could only have been born at Virgin.”

Other details about the festivals, including location and dates, have yet to be announced.

Virgin is no stranger to the world of music festivals. Their Virgin Produced division already partners with the KAABOO festivals, and until last year, Virgin produced the V Fest series in the UK, but announced the brand was being retired in 2017.

They also ran a series of Virgin-branded festivals in the U.S. which spun off from V-Fest in the UK from 2006 to 2013.