The Beatles Failed to Sell Out This Iconic Venue That Bans Whole Fruits & Hula Hoops

Enjoy Natural Acoustics with A View

Red Rocks Amphitheatre isn’t just a place to see a concert, it’s an experience.

With giant red rock formations that have been around for 250 million years, this outdoor venue near Denver is one of the most unique in the world.

Sitting 6,450 feet above sea level, it offers amazing views, incredible sound, and a rich history that goes way beyond music. From The Beatles’ 1964 performance to early morning yoga and hiking trails, Red Rocks has plenty of cool stories. Here are 11 interesting facts to know before you visit.

Those Red Rocks Are Over 300 Million Years Old

The red rocks that form the amphitheatre belong to the Fountain Formation, which began around 300 million years ago during the Pennsylvanian Period.

The rock layers were initially horizontal until around 75 million years ago. The Laramide orogeny folded and formed the earth’s crust to create those iconic vertical rocks we know today.

The Beatles Failed To Sell Out Their Red Rocks Concert

The Beatles only filled 7,000 of the 9,525 seat-capacity of Red Rocks. This was on August 26, 1964, so it was during the early months of their rise in America.

Rock Concerts Were Banned for a Few Years

A Jethro Tull concert on June 10, 1971, led to a ban on rock concerts at Red Rocks for several years. A few thousand fans without tickets tried to crash the gates.

It was the largest riot in Red Rocks history and the police had to use tear gas on the crowd.

2023 Was a Record-Breaking Year

In 2023, Red Rocks hit record-breaking attendance with over 1.65 million tickets sold. This ranked them as the best-attended outdoor venue in the United States and the fourth-ranked venue of any type or size globally, including concerts, Film on the Rocks, and fitness events such as Yoga on the Rocks.

2023 Was Also Broke Hotdog Record Sales at Red Rocks

During the same year, over 65,000 hot dogs were sold at Red Rocks, the most ever.

That was twice as many as the next most popular food items, with tacos being the second most popular (31,700 sold) and nachos the third (30,500 sold).

The Red Rocks Amphitheater Is Inspired by Greek Mythology

The amphitheatre was designed by architect Burnham Hoyt and modeled after the Theatre of Dionysus at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.

In fact, it was previously known as the “Garden of the Angels” in 1870 before being called the “Garden of the Titans” from 1906 to 1927.

No Whole Fruits, Please

One of Red Rock’s weirdest rules is the ban on whole fruits and vegetables. They need to be pre-sliced before entering the venue, and security will actually check it.

The rule’s likely there so you can’t use them as projectiles. Some say it’s so you can’t hollow out fruits like apples and smoke out of them.

There’s a Bar on Row 71

It’s called the Row 71 Bar which you can access by the outdoor staircase or through the lower level of the Visitor Center. It’s presented by Jameson, so the drinks are mostly whiskey.

They Had to Use Dynamites, Shovels, and Pickaxes

Carving those stairs took over 12 years by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). They couldn’t use heavy machinery and electricity because Red Rocks was 6,450 feet above sea level.

Instead, the workers removed 25,000 cubic yards of rock and dirt using pickaxes, shovels, and dynamite. Traditional stone masonry techniques were also used to shape and fit stones together without mortar. This skill that was taught to the CCC workers as part of their training.

No Pointy Things Allowed

That includes totem poles, umbrellas, selfie sticks, and jewelry with spikes. Don’t you dare bring your hula hoop either. Or gum. You’re allowed to bring empty poster tubes, though.

Red Rocks Is Great For Workouts

At 6,400 feet above sea level, oxygen levels are lower on Red Rocks. It’s harder to breathe the thin air, so regular workouts feel more intense. Future Marines often use Red Rocks for their training sessions.

You can also join bootcamp-style programs here, the famous “Yoga on the Rocks,” “Fitness on the Rocks,” and many other activities.