On April 12, 2025, the traveling punk music festival Punk in the Park will make a stop in Chandler at the Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds, showcasing iconic artists and pioneers of the punk subculture.

Other Punk in the Park events are scheduled for San Francisco, Orange County, Portland and Denver. Live performances unite members and lovers of the punk subculture at each location, with California-based Brew Ha Ha productions drawing around 20,000 attendees to its Orange County festival in 2022. This year, the Chandler lineup includes:

• Bad Religion
• Pennywise
• Face to Face
• Strung Out
• The Casualties
• Adolescents 
• Guttermouth
• Manic Hispanic
• Catbite
• Dwarves
• Cigar
• The Last Gang
• Implants
• Slaughterhouse
• Bite the Hand

Headliners Bad Religion, formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, are often regarded as pioneers who shaped the modern punk subculture. Lead singer Greg Graffin, who has a Ph.D. in zoology and bachelor’s degree in biology, infused the band’s lyrics with thoughtful philosophical topics, as well as critiques of religion, politics and society. Their focus on anti-authoritarianism, environmentalism, human rights, social justice and activism set them apart from other punk bands at the time and inspired more recent popular punk artists, such as Green Day and The Offspring who continue to pass on similar messages to today’s youth.

While its roots can be traced back to early American bands, such as The Stooges, the punk scene initially took off in London. In the 1970s, the United Kingdom was experiencing a period of severe class disparity and economic hardship, leading to increasing feelings of anger and disillusionment among the younger British generations.

Bands including Cock Sparrer, the Clash, Sex Pistols and the U.K. Subs were all prominent groups during the movement. Much of British punk was politically charged and oriented around working class issues which today’s generations continue to challenge.

American punk rock was typically less overtly political. Many of the songs focus more on anti-conformity or highlight stigmatized experiences, including substance use and petty crime. Unlike British punk, the movement erupted not only in more urban and populated areas, but in the suburbs as well.

The punk movement served as a form of self-expression, allowing young people to release their feelings. The scene became a hub for both music and fashion while emphasizing the importance of punk mindsets such as DIY ethics and individuality.

According to Punk in the Park, the festival will feature performances on two stages with no overlapping set times. The event is all-ages, with children 5 and under free. General admission for the event starts at $54.99 plus fees, and VIP tickets with extra amenities start at $149.99 plus fees. All tickets include access to the live music performances as well as optional beer tasting as an add-on purchase for those 21+. Tickets and all other information about the festival is available at punkinthepark.com/chandler.