Virgin Festival 2007 Slated for August 4th and 5th

The 2007 U.S. Virgin Festival, sponsored by Virgin Mobile, will be held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD on August 4th and 5th. Known as the "V" Festival in Great Britain, this decade old event has recently spread its wings to include festivals in Canada and the United States.

The official kick-off to this year's U. S. Virgin festival began with a press release by the Virgin Group on March 22nd, noting that this year's line up will be headlined by the Police and Beastie Boys on Aug 4th, with the Smashing Pumpkins taking center stage on August 5th. A full list of bands to complete the performance roster will be unveiled by the Virgin Group in the coming weeks.

The concept behind the rock festival began eleven years ago in Great Britain; the notion conceived by Sir Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group. The idea behind the festival was to hold a two day rock music event while also offering various art platforms, a wide range of activities, educational non-profit exhibits, and a plethora of vendors and concessions. The V Festival has been an annual event in the UK since its inception. Following along the same lines of the festival's two-day event format, this year's U. S. festival will also be held over two days, offering all the amenities of the original festival.

The first U. S. Virgin Festival was held on Sept 23, 2006, in Baltimore, MD, featuring twenty bands. The British-born festival tested the waters in the U.S. by holding a one day outing. The initial launch proved an instant success, rivaling already established summer music festivals by attracting 45,000 people. Headline artists such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Who and The Killers wowed the crowd at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Because of the rock festival's triumphant debut in 2006, this year it will follow the traditional two-day format, the way the festival was intended to be. The rock fest appears to be on its way to becoming an annual U. S. event.

As concern increases about global warming, the Virgin Group expects the festival to be as eco-friendly as an event of this style could possibly be. Virgin Group notes that their "ongoing commitment to attacking the causes of global warming" is paramount. The focus to keep any festival-caused carbons at the least possible minimum will be instituted.

Virgin Mobile, a subsidiary of the Virgin Group, boasts themselves as being the "nation's leading youth network" and focuses on cell phone service without the long term commitment. It has a user base of 4.6 million within the United States, with its service running along the Nationwide Sprint PCS network. Virgin Mobile also focuses on various cultural and social issues that plague the country. Being a giving group, Virgin Mobile donates 5% of all profits received from downloadable content to pro-social initiatives that target at-risk and homeless teens.

The Virgin Group makes it their mission to find ways to offer fresh and innovative ideas to serve North America. Known best for their Virgin Mobile endeavor, the group also runs Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Comics offering an entertainment platform for original stories, and Virgin Megastores that offers a fresh idea in music sales.

As information regarding the U. S. Virgin Festival and its lineup becomes available, or if your curiosity tickles you regarding any of the Virgin Group's offerings, check out the Virgin Festival's official website at www.virginfestival.com or www.virgin.com.