Our Summer of Music tour continues, and this time we’re headed somewhere with more fringe, more falsetto, and more fake mustaches than any one city should legally be allowed to contain. Salem, Oregon: you’re up.
Capital City Retro Fest is calling, and we’re answering with a cooler full of THC and our best pair of platform boots. Picture it: three nights of power ballads, riverfront breezes, festival snacks, and enough eyeliner to trigger a small identity crisis.
As always, we’re showing up loud, proud, and bearing gifts. Keep scrolling for the setlist, the festival intel, and where to find us once you’ve completely lost it during “Dreams.”
Welcome to Retro Fest (Where Salem Throws It Back)
If Harefest was rock camp, Retro Fest is its feathered-hair cousin with a better record collection and a slightly stronger obsession with Stevie Nicks.
Every August, Salem’s Riverfront Park transforms into a three-day time warp powered by tribute bands, tight pants, and enough dad-approved anthems to shake the waterfront. The venue is the very official-sounding Gerry Frank Amphitheater, AKA a shiny, city-backed space with real civic gravitas that will absolutely witness you cry-laughing during a Journey cover.
The setup is sweet: lush lawn seating, amphitheater acoustics, and a central bar keeping the pours steady all night long. Food carts line the plaza, the stage stays hot, and the vibes stay hotter. It’s ADA accessible, family-friendly (kids 12 and under get in free), and loaded with enough entertainment to distract you from whatever crimes you committed with your outfit.
Retro Fest comes courtesy of the crew behind Harefest, Flannel Fest, and Pride Amplified, which means you’re in very capable (and glittery) hands. Everything’s been thought through, from the crowd flow to the snack situation. All you have to do is show up ready to vibe and maybe sweat through your fav vintage band tee.
Grunge, Glam, and a Full-Coverage Setlist
Retro Fest’s lineup is stacked with nostalgia heavyweights: the kind of acts that’ll have you screaming along to songs you swear you haven’t heard in years… but still know by heart.
Friday brings Nevermind (Nirvana), Jar of Lies (Alice In Chains), and Grand Royale (Beastie Boys). Think of it as a kickstart to the weekend, packed with grunge riffs, hip-hop chaos, and just enough edge to make you feel like a rebel (but in more sensible shoes).
Saturday turns up the stadium rock with Stone In Love (Journey), Shoot to Thrill (AC/DC), and Ramble On (Led Zeppelin). Expect hair flips, guitar solos, and several moments where you forget it’s not actually 1979.
Sunday closes it out in lace, leather, and pure disco drama. Taken By The Sky (Fleetwood Mac), Eagle Eyes (Eagles), and Band After Midnight (ABBA) end the weekend like a glitter cannon to the soul with dreamy harmonies, rhinestone energy, and enough emotional whiplash to make you cry-dance on the lawn.
Whether you’re here for the grunge, the glam, or the full spiritual reset that happens when “Dancing Queen” hits live, just know this: you’re gonna feel things.
Locate the Vibes (and the Free Samples)
Cycling Frog is your official THC sponsor for the weekend, and we’re pulling up like it’s our world tour. You’ll find our booth right next to the main bar all three days, slinging free samples of our THC + CBD seltzers along with other cute frog-coded goodies for the folks who pull up first.
We’ll be pouring samples of Wild Cherry, Black Currant, and the forever crisp Lemon Light, which are all perfect for sipping in the sun while you try (and fail) not to sing along. And if one taste just won’t cut it (spoiler: it won’t), grab a full-sized can of your favorite flavor at the bar and keep the vibes rolling straight through the encore.
- Now, for the logistics (aka the boring-but-important stuff):
- No re-entry, so commit to the bit and stay for the long haul.
- Clear bags only. We love transparency.
- No outside food or drink (but empty clear water bottles = good).
- Bring blankets, low chairs, good energy. Leave the umbrellas and bad attitudes at home.
- Samples tend to disappear quickly, so come say hi bright and early.
General admission means it’s first come, best spot. So get there early, stake out your turf, and come vibe with the Frog. We’ll be the ones pouring drinks, handing out high-fives, and scream-singing “Dancing Queen” like it’s a group bonding exercise.
Let the Good Times Roll (and Rock)
Three days. Tons of tribute bands. One riverfront fever dream. Retro Fest is where glitter, guitar solos, and THC seltzers collide, and we’re beyond stoked to be part of the magic.
Catch us mid-sample pour, mid-sway, or mid-emotional spiral depending on what band’s on stage. We contain multitudes (and carbonation).
Don’t forget to tag us in your festival fits and fizzy moments on Instagram and TikTok: #CyclingFrog and #RetroFest. If we catch you double-fisting THC seltzers in a rhinestone cape, just know we love you forever.
While you prepare for the festival, take some time to get hyped with two of our favorite tracks from each of the original bands being honored at Retro Fest:
P.S. Retro Fest is just one stop on our Summer of Music Tour. More shows, more seltzers, and more glitter-coded chaos are coming soon, so keep tabs on our campaign page for fresh drops, playlists, and all the weirdness we’re brewing up next.
We’ll see ya in Salem ♥
