Firefly partners with Coachella to promote, produce Dover fest

The creators of Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival announced Sept. 17 that they're joining forces with the fast-growing Firefly Music Festival.

Goldenvoice, an AEG Live company that also founded Stagecoach and FYF Fest, announced the joint venture with Red Frog Events to promote and produce Firefly Music Festival, held at the Dover International Speedway in June. The 2015 festival is slated for June 18-21.

“We are excited to be working with the Goldenvoice team,” Red Frog Events Founder and CEO Joe Reynolds said. “This partnership will continue to propel the success of Firefly for years to come.”

Firefly was founded in 2012 by Chicago-based event production company Red Frog Events. Since the festival's inception, Firefly has grown from an inaugural attendance of about 30,000 attendees to an estimated 80,000 people each day in summer 2014.

“We're so impressed with what they've created in such a short time, how could we not want to be a part of it?” Goldenvoice President and CEO Paul Tollett said.

In 2014, Coachella and Firefly shared some musical acts like headliners Outkast and Beck. The newly established partnership between the festivals' promoters will establish a long-term plan for Firefly to become one of the world's best music festivals, said Stephanie Mezzano, Red Frog Events vice president of operations.

“We're going to look to them to share the knowledge they've gained working with music festivals and hopefully teach us a few things they've learned along the way to take Firefly to the next level,” Mezzano said.

Firefly will be jointly owned by Red Frog Events and Goldenvoice, but Red Frog Events will continue to operate the festival as it has for the past three years, Mezzano said.

"I think the joint venture they created and ultimately the partnership with our track strengthens an already successful music festival," said Mike Tatoian, Dover International Speedway chief operating officer.

Tatoian said he's excited with the opportunities that Goldenvoice can bring to Firefly, which is licensed to operate at the Woodlands until 2032.

"They now have the opportunity to feel confident and comfortable that for the next 18 years, they have a place to call home and continue to build the infrastructure to continue to deliver a great music festival," he said.

Firefly 2015 will be held Thursday, June 18, through Sunday, June 21. For more information about the festival, go to fireflyfestival.com.