CarMax Park debuts with concert, first look inside
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CarMax Park. Photo: Karri Peifer/Axios
CarMax Park will get its first real test run this week with the venue's inaugural concert, the Taking Flight Festival.
Why it matters: The festival is also locals' first look at Richmond's new, decades-in-the-making baseball stadium.
Driving the news: Taking Flight Festival is largely a concert featuring a mashup of '80s rappers and rock and country artists: Big Daddy Kane, Tone Loc, Steve Earle, Reckless Kelly and Richmond's Butcher Brown.
- It's also the inaugural stadium event for 804Live, the Flying Squirrels' new events company dedicated to making CarMax Park a year-round entertainment destination.

Zoom in: We got our own sneak peek of the stadium last week, so here's what to expect if you're headed to the show:
- 🧗Fewer steps. The CarMax Park seats are spread out instead of up, as they were at The Diamond, making them easier to access.
- 🍔 More food options, like chicken sandwiches, premium burgers and two grab-and-go areas with hot dogs, salads and more.
- 🪑More seating options. Sure, you can still sit in the stands, but there are also bar seats, picnic tables, benches and even outdoor sofas in the premium suites.
If you go: Tickets for the Taking Flight Festival were invite-only, but you can find them cropping up on the sale market for around $20.
Of note: The Flying Squirrels cannot guarantee those tickets though, the team spokesperson Trey Wilson tells Axios.
- And if they're "field" or "floor" tickets, they're definitely fake, he adds. (Also, invitees go them for free.)
What's next: Opening game day is April 7 and we'll have even more on the new stadium then.
- If you've already been to CarMax Park, send us your thoughts at [email protected].
