The Warped Tour is a cross-country, summer-long, traveling music festival that features various genres, primarily punk and alternative rock, along with extreme sports including skateboarding and BMX demonstrations. It was founded by Kevin Lyman in 1995, and Vans has been sponsoring it since 1996. The Warped Tour provides a platform for both established and emerging bands to gain exposure. After a hiatus, the tour returned this year for its 30th anniversary with a limited number of dates. 

When the Warped Tour was announced to return this year, founder Kevin Lyman stated that people were “craving connection, live music, and the raw unfiltered experience” of the festival and that the return aimed to give the new generation a “sense of belonging and freedom” that Warped always championed, while also expressing admiration for the collaborative Insomniac company. The announcement for the 30th anniversary celebration was made in October 2024.  Warped Tour stopped originally because of a decline in ticket sales, a diminishing pool of suitable bands, and the founders’ exhaustion from the tour’s increasing financial losses and community issues like elitism and sexual misconduct allegations against artists. The tour lost its sense of community, and bands became unwilling to tour together, which led to the eventual end of Warped Tour after a two-decade run. The last Warped Tour before the planned 2025 return was in 2019, which was a special three day event to celebrate the festival’s 25th anniversary. The previous year, 2018, marked the end of the festival’s final, full cross-country run. 

The Warped Tour fostered a culture of youthful rebellion, freedom, and community centered around punk, emo, and alternative music, skate culture, and DIY ethos. It was known as a summer “punk rock camp” and “utopia” for misfits and rebels, emphasizing creativity, non-conformity, and mutual support among fans and artists. This “safe space” promoted inclusivity and a love for music, but it was also a place where the “DIY ethic” was on display, with young fans connecting with their favorite bands and discovering new artists in a vibrant, chaotic environment. The tour’s roots are in punk rock, promoting individualism, non-conformity, and a DIY mentality. It offered a sense of freedom from typical restrictions, with a chaotic, high energy atmosphere of music, extreme sports, and connection. The tour aimed to be a judgment-free zone where people of all backgrounds felt welcomed and accepted, creating a family-like atmosphere for fans. Fans even had unprecedented access to bands, shaking hands, getting autographs, and even being invited on stage. 

The Warped Tour is also confirmed to be returning again in 2026, with dates announced for Washington D.C. on June 13-14 and Long Beach, CA on July 25-26. The D.C. show is at the RFK stadium grounds, and the Long Beach show is at the Shoreline waterfront. You can find more ticket information on the Vans Warped Tour website; they already have presales going. 

Overall, Warped Tour was a special place for misfits and non-conformists to get together and enjoy live music together, and get to know more bands and people. If you’re thinking of getting tickets I would because they probably won’t be around for long. I think everyone should go to Warped Tour to either listen to their favorite bands or discover new bands and people.