A Healthier Festival. A Healthier Community.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Radio IQ are our Official Sustainability Partners, and are helping us build healthier systems into one of Virginia’s largest outdoor festivals.
45,000+ People. Real Impact.
GO Fest welcomes more than 45,000 attendees every year. The choices we make about transportation, hydration, waste, and gear at the festival mirror the daily systems of our community. Get those right at GO Fest, and we’re modeling what healthier looks like at scale.
From Sponsor to Mission Partner
This isn’t a one-time activation. Anthem’s support is built into the systems that run the festival year over year:
Active Transportation & Emissions Reduction
A free shuttle connects our two festival locations. Expanded bike valet parking supports an active commuter culture. Public transit incentives, rideshare, and carpool drop-off zones cut down on parking impact and emissions.
Hydration, Heat Safety & Climate Resilience
Branded hydration stations are placed throughout the festival, paired with hydration and heat safety education, and a push to get attendees carrying reusable water bottles before they ever arrive.
Circular Economy & Waste Reduction
A waste and recyclables art installation sits at the center of the festival grounds. Every food vendor works under festival-wide standards requiring compostable and recyclable service-ware, backed by a Green Team volunteer program running trash, recycling, and compost stations.
Gear Reuse, Donation & Community Equity
A Used Gear tent lets the community consign and extend the life of outdoor equipment, taking cost off the table as a barrier to getting outside. A separate gear donation station collects winter hats, gloves, and coats for local schools, nonprofits, and homeless outreach programs.
Waste Prevention
Our Reusable Pint Program has already kept over 20,000 plastic cups out of the landfill in a single year, with proceeds reinvested into local outdoor infrastructure through Project Outside. Behind the scenes, food recovery efforts collect unused, safe food from vendors.
A Three-Year Vision
Year 1 establishes the baseline.
Year 2 refines the systems.
Year 3 positions GO Fest as a statewide benchmark for sustainable events.
Each year, we will publish a co-branded Sustainability Impact Report with outcomes tied to ESG and community health goals, so the progress is measurable, not just visible.
The Bigger Picture
How people move, hydrate, eat, and engage at GO Fest reflects daily community systems. Improving those systems at festival scale supports preventative health and long-term well-being for the region, not just for one weekend in October.