UMS returns in 2026 to new location

Driving the news: The RiNo Art District Business Improvement District announced Monday that it has acquired a 50% stake in the festival to ensure its future.

• The district signed a three-year contract and will contribute $250,000 annually, organizers said.
• The acquisition will move UMS from its South Broadway home to RiNo, a current hub for artists, hotels, restaurateurs, bars and breweries.

By the numbers: The 26th edition will take place July 24-26 and is expected to draw more than 10,000 guests each day and host more than 200 performances.

What they're saying: The new part-owners see the festival as an economic driver that will boost businesses in the area and its creative image.

• "The BID saw this partnership as an intentional way of investing in RiNo's creative ecosystem," Terry Madeksza, executive director of the RiNo Business Improvement District, said in a statement.
• "UMS has always been about discovery," Keanan Stoner, the new festival director, added in a statement. "This partnership allows us to deepen that idea, helping people discover new music, new venues and new ways to experience Denver through a district that has always championed art and artists."