DOVER, Delaware (CelebrityAccess) — Chicago-based Red Frog Events, founder of the Firefly Music Festival, have sold their stake in the festival to their partner in the event, AEG Presents.
According to the Delaware News Journal, the sale gives AEG Presents a majority interest in the popular festival. As well, Stephanie Mezzano, one of the festival’s founders who had been president of operations for Red Frog Events, has joined AEG Presents and will continue to oversee the festival in a director role.
Alicia Karlin, a vice president and senior event producer for Madison House Presents, which is also a partner of AEG, has signed on to become the festival’s new talent buyer.
As well, about ten other Red Frog employees who had been involved with the festival will also transition over to AEG as part of the sale, the News Journal said.
“Red Frog identified a fantastic site, a great partner in Dover International Speedway and had a vision that they executed really, really well,” Melissa Ormond, chief operating officer of festivals for AEG Presents told the publication.
“Very few people — even those of us who have been in the music business for decades — are launching successful festivals in Year One or Year Two,” Ormond added. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for what they did. The timing was right for both of us.”
AEG and its subsidiary Goldenvoice, have been involved with the Firefly festival since 2014 when they struck a deal with Red Frog Events to help produce and promote the event.
The festival, which takes place over four days in The Woodlands of Dover International Speedway, debuted in 2012. This year’s festival featured a lineup that included: Odesza, Lil Wayne, Logic, Martin Garrix, SZA, Alt-J, and Portugal, The Man.
According to the News Journal, the festival will not be folded into Goldenvoice but will be overseen by AEG Presents directly. And while there’s a new boss in town, Ormond told the publication that they did not plan to make big changes.
“We feel like it’s run really well for the last several years and we just want to continue that with small improvements,” Ormond told the News Journal.
One change that might come into effect is reducing the festival from four days to just three, though no final determination has been made. Other changes planned for the festival include a new weekend, with the festival set to take place from June 20-23 in 2019. The schedule change comes after the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival moved from its traditional Memorial Day weekend date to Father’s Day weekend in 2019.
