It's been the wish of any serious Lexington concertgoer for decades: A venue that, in true Goldilocks fashion, wasn't too small, wasn't too big, but was, in essence, just right for a considerable number of national touring artists.

In specific terms, that translated into the realization of a medium-size facility that wasn't as imposing as the mammoth Rupp Arena but still markedly larger than theatre-sized facilities like the Lexington Opera House. Year after year, Lexington patrons watched acts suitable for such venues bypass the region in favor of cities like Louisville and Cincinnati.

Starting this weekend, that longstanding gap will be filled. Along with the opening of downtown's Gatton Park on Saturday will be the unveiling of its CommonSpirit Health Stage. The new amphitheater will be able to accommodate audiences of up to 5,000. That's slightly larger than what Cincinnati's PNC Pavilion holds and more than twice the capacity of Iroquois Amphitheater, Louisville's closest equivalent.

The CommonSpirit Health Stage during a tour on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, at Gatton Park on the Town Branch in Lexington, Ky.

"It's a really great capacity size, something that we haven't had in our market," said Joey Trevino, director of booking for Oak View Group, which will oversee performances booked for CommonSpirit Health Stage. OVG also handles events presented at Rupp Arena and the Opera House.

"With a capacity between 4,000 and 5,000 for this outdoor amphitheater, it's really allowing us to consider programming that previously we have not been able to bring because it didn't necessarily align with capacity of the Opera House or the arena. That opens the door for certain programming that we couldn't have booked otherwise, programming that would have gone to other nearby markets."

A mammoth free lineup of multi-genre performances by eight local and regional artists headlined by Lawrence County-bred "American Idol" season 20 winner Noah Thompson at the CommonSpirit Health Stage will help highlight opening day festivities throughout Gatton Park on Saturday.

Terraced seating area on the great lawn facing the CommonSpirit Health Stage during a tour on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, at Gatton Park on the Town Branch in Lexington, Ky.

Terraced seating area on the great lawn during a tour on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, at Gatton Park on the Town Branch in Lexington, Ky.

Longtime hip-hop artist and ONE Lexington director Devine Carama will be among the artists performing at Saturday's grand opening. He sees the amphitheater and all of Gatton Park as a positive and inclusive step in making everyone in the city feel welcome downtown.

"Kids who live in the West End, the East End, Centre Parkway and Bainbridge by Man O'War a lot times look at downtown and don't feel like it's for them. For me, this is an opportunity to show them that downtown is yours, too. You don't have to stand in the corridors of your neighborhood on your side of town just because you don't see a lot of people down there that look like you.

"This is one of those spaces that wants to embrace people from different walks of life. I'm excited about that, about getting young people there."

Next to the adventure playground, Elkhorn Creek flows through the park during a tour on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, at Gatton Park on the Town Branch in Lexington, Ky.

The community area behind the stage during a tour on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, at Gatton Park on the Town Branch in Lexington, Ky.

The amphitheater gets cracking in full this fall with two debut concert events: A Sept. 17 outing with Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Beach Boys and an Oct. 9 bill featuring classic rock troupes Kansas, Jefferson Starship and Molly Hatchet.

"These will be the only two national touring shows for this season," said OVC marketing director Lauren Layman. "With this being an outdoor amphitheater, we are limited, obviously, with the time of year we can present shows, so those will be the two large events."

Layman added, however, that full spring-to-fall seasons beginning in 2026 are targeting roughly 20 performances that would include comedy shows and family-friendly events as well as concerts - a mix that approximates the performance variety at Rupp and the Opera House.

"We've solidified what we're calling a soft opening of the amphitheater with the two shows we have announced - The Beach Boys and Kansas," Trevino said. "While this is happening, though, we're already working toward next year, so this is kind of setting the stage, pun intended, for what 2026 is going to be."

The new Gatton Park has a large outdoor stage with lawn seating areas.

The new CommonSpirit Health Stage amphitheater has a seating area called The Perch. One thing patrons will need to remember: You can't bring in your own chairs.

Trevino said an announcement for next year's concerts will likely be made in about three months.

"I have a good rough draft of the season so far. We'll have most of it etched out in the next couple of months.

"We're looking to see if we're going to do a season announcement or lean back toward the normal SOP for Rupp and the Opera House. I think the thought is we want to announce at least a couple of shows as a kind of season. That's the intent at least, but we're still kind of working through it. We're also still working through the nuts and bolts of this opening season."

One thing you can't bring: Your own chairs

One of the biggest challenges in opening the doors - or, in this case, the gates - to a major new performance venue is letting the public know what it is and what it isn't.

CommonSpirit Health Stage borrows a design from many outdoor venues in that it has an area designated for reserved seating near the stage and a sizeable lawn area behind that to accommodate general admission patrons.

What the venue doesn't have are allowances common to other, smaller local outdoor venues like MoonDance Amphitheater. Those facilities allow patrons to bring in chairs. Like larger facilities such as PNC Pavilion and Iroquois Amphitheater, CommonSpirit Health Stage has its own chairs. In other words, you will need to leave yours at home.

"With anything new, there are challenges," Layman said. "Our biggest challenge right now is just to educate the public on what this space is - and not only educating on what the amphitheater is, but also the importance of this park, so it's two-fold. It's a great community space for people to hang out and enjoy nature in a centralized location, but there is also this other piece where we're able to bring in more talent and create a safe space for people to come together and really enjoy entertainment.

"The majority of our shows will have a (general admission) pit. We'll also have different sections with chairs and a general admission lawn, so it's really important to note if you purchase a general admission lawn ticket, or any ticket for this venue, you cannot bring chairs. That's a question we have been receiving a lot.

Seating areas on the lawn around the new outdoor amphitheater opening in Gatton Park

"With Rupp Arena, it's a historic venue. Everyone knows Rupp Arena in this area, but people may not know about CommonSpirit Health Stage at Gatton Park, so that's the biggest challenge. But with that challenge also comes many things that are exciting. Opening a new space is always an exciting thing - just to see new faces and, again, having a new level of entertainment in downtown Lexington is great."

Concertgoers aren't the only ones anxious to see a 5,000-capacity venue open in Lexington. Promoters and booking agencies, anxious to market size-appropriate touring artists here, are equally excited by the opening of the CommonSpirit Health Stage.

"The industry is really excited about the space - not just the community, but the industry as a whole," Trevino said. "Throughout this year, I pitched the venue to all of the major players in the agency world.

"We've already put the venue on the map and we haven't even opened yet."