The Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival is an annual outdoor punk rock festival held since 1999 mixing a bowling tournament and live music performances.
The first occurrence was held in 1999 with a show at the now-defunct Huntridge Theater and originally based as a casual get-together bowling tournament and party for punk rock musicians, labels, fanzines and friends.
The live music components grew over the years into a full-fledged music festival from 2010 onwards including a 3-day outdoor music festival with additional night clubs performances, live music pool-parties, poker and bowling tournaments as well as other associated entertainment or punk culture events.
Notable acts such as Social Distortion, Devo, the Damned, Skatalites, and Suicidal Tendencies have performed at the festival, supported by smaller local bands from Las Vegas and other cities. As of 2024, it is estimated that eight to ten thousand people attend the festival per day.
The event became part of the Downtown Las Vegas entertainment offer and happened there every year with the exception of 2010 (held in Henderson, Nevada), 2020 and 2022 (did not occur due to the Covid-19 pandemic). The 2016 edition also included an additional weekend held in Asbury Park, New Jersey and Denver, Colorado.
History The festival was started in 1999 by brothers Mark Stern and Shawn Stern, members of the band Youth Brigade and owners of the independent record label BYO Records. Before moving to Las Vegas, a predecessor to the event was an amateur bowling tournament at Santa Monica's Bay Shore Lanes for local labels, zines, and bands in the SoCal punk community. BYO Records employee Andre Duguay, who ran the original SoCal league tournament, suggested the Sterns start a bowling night similar to Fat Wreck Chords' bowling league in San Francisco.
From 1999 to 2009, the festival took place during Presidents' Day weekend, and from 2010 forward has been on Memorial Day weekend. Originally held with the bowling tournament at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino and the live music at Huntridge Theater, the event moved to Sam's Town in 2006, and in 2010 again moved to Sunset Station, as the venue had both an amphitheater and a bowling alley. From 2011 forward, the festival has been held in Downtown Las Vegas.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the festival was canceled in 2020 and 2022.
In 2025, three bands from the Mexico, Sweden, and United Kingdom were unable to perform at the festival due to visa issues for entering the United States, which the organizers attributed to "xenophobic hysteria at the border". In line with punk music's historical focus on social and political issues, according to the LA Times, organizer Shawn Stern "sees his platform as an artist and a festival host as a crucial way to remind everyone to stand up against authoritarianism and fascism even if it's not directly affecting you and your surroundings just yet."
Lineups by year 1999-2009
13–14 February 1999 - DIY Bowling Tournament
Bowling tournament at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino
Friday 12 February Kick off party
Location: Double Down Saloon, 4640 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, Nevada
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Saturday 13 February Festival
Location: Huntridge Theater
Dropkick Murphys NOFX Pulley Rancid The Aquabats! The Casualties The Damned
18–20 February 2000 - 2nd Annual DIY Bowling Tournament Bowling tournament at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino
Live music
Location: Huntridge Theater
Friday 18 February
NOFX T.S.O.L.
Saturday 19 February
Dillinger Four Welt Enemy U Punk Rock Karaoke (in the lounge of the Huntridge)
16–18 February 2001 - 3rd Annual DIY Bowling Tournament Bowling tournament at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino
Live music
Friday 16 February Location: House of Blues
Lagwagon NOFX Pistol Grip
15–17 February 2002 - 4th Annual Punk Rock Bowling Tournament
Bowling tournament at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino
Live music
Location: Hurricane Harry's, 3190 W Sahara, Las Vegas, Nevada
Friday 15 February
Jackass Manic Hispanic The Lawrence Arms
Saturday 16 February
Alkaline Trio Bouncing Souls
7–9 February 2003 - 5th Annual Punk Rock Bowling Tournament
Bowling tournament at the Castaways Bowling Center, 2800 Fremont St Las Vegas, Nevada
Live music
Friday 7 February Location: Huntridge Theater
Dropkick Murphys The Forgotten The Unseen
Saturday 8 February Location: Huntridge Theater
GBH Circle Jerks Toxic Narcotic Daycare Swindlers
Location: Castaways Bowling Centre Cantina
Manic Hispanic
6–8 February 2004 - 6th Annual Punk Rock Bowling Tournament
Bowling tournament at the Castaways Bowling Center, 2800 Fremont St Las Vegas, Nevada
Live music
Friday 6 February Location: House of Blues
Flogging Molly Punk Rock Karaoke Throw Rag
Saturday 7 February Location: Castaway Bowling Centre Cantina
Manic Hispanic
Location: Castaways Bowling Centre Lounge
Flock of Goo Goo Harvey Sid Fisher
18–20 February 2005 - 7th Annual Punk Rock Bowling Tournament
Bowling tournament at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino
Live music
Saturday 19 February
Location: Pink Room of the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino
Flock of Goo Goo
Location: House of Blues
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Bouncing Souls The Briefs
Location: Rock Room of the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino
Manic Hispanic
19–22 January 2006 - 8th Annual Punk Rock Bowling Tournament
Bowling tournament at Sam's Town
Live music
Thursday 19 January
Location: Sam's Town Live
Manic Hispanic
Friday 20 January Location: Sam's Town Lounge
Flock of Goo Goo
Location: Jillian's, 450 S Fremont St, Las Vegas, Nevada
Swingin Utters The Briefs The Riverboats Gamblers
18–21 January 2007 - 9th Annual Punk Rock Bowling Tournament
Bowling tournament at Sam's Town
Live music
Location: Sam's Town Live
Thursday 18 January
Kick off party
Dillinger Four Nothington Strike Anywhere Bouncing Souls
Sunday 21 January
Award Ceremony
Black Flag Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
17–20 January 2008 - 10th Annual Punk Rock Bowling Tournament
Bowling tournament at Sam's Town
Live music and entertainment
Friday 18 January
Friday night kick off party
Location: Sam's Town
7Seconds Youth Brigade Adolescents American Steel Nothington
Saturday 19 January
Movie premiere: "Let The Know" - The story of Youth Brigade and BYO Recoards
Sunday 20 January
Award party
Location: Canyon Club, 202 Fremont St, Las Vegas, Nevada
Manic Hispanic
15–18 January 2009 -
Bowling tournament at Sam's Town
Live music
Friday 16 January Location: El Premier Nightclub, 3015, E Fremont St, Las Vegas, Nevada
Dwarves The Casualties American Steel The Ignorant Off With Their Heads
Saturday 17 January Location: House of Blues
Pennywise Circle Jerks Channel 3 The Darlings
Sunday 18 January Location: House of Blues
Pennywise Pulley The Vandals Tiltwheel
Location: El Premier Nightclub, 3015, E Fremont St, Las Vegas, Nevada
Manic Hispanic The Bodies
Lineups by year 2010-2020
7–9 May 2010 - Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival, Henderson, Nevada
Bowling tournament at Sunset Station (hotel and casino)
Live music festival and clubs
Friday 7 May
Location: Sunset Station Lounge - Club Madrid
The Phenomenauts Filthy Thieving Bastards Old Man Markley
Location: Sunset Amphitheater
NOFX Hot Water Music Fucked Up Teenage Bottlerocket Tony Sly Youth Brigade Guilty by Association
Saturday 8 May
Location: Sunset Station Lounge - Club Madrid
Revival Tour featuring Chuck Ragan and Ben Nichols
Location: Sunset Amphitheater
Flogging Molly Against Me! The Riverboat Gamblers Broadway Calls Cobra Skulls Swingin Utters Old Man Markley
Sunday 9 May Location: Sunset Station Lounge - Club Madrid
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Saint Alvia The Cute Lepers
Location: Sunset Amphitheater
Adolescents Channel 3 T.S.O.L. 7Seconds Ill Repute D.R.I. Stretch Marks The Crowd The Dickies Dr. Know
27–30 May 2011 - 13th Annual Punk Rock Bowling Music Festival
Friday 27 May
Location:
Saturday 28 May
Sunday 29 May
Monday 30 May
25–28 May 2012 - 14th Annual Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival
Friday 25 May
Location:
Saturday 26 May
Sunday 27 May
Monday 28 May
24–27 May 2013 - 15th Annual Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival
Friday 24 May
Location:
Saturday 25 May
Sunday 26 May
Monday 27 May
23–26 May 2014 - Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival
Friday 23 May
Location:
Saturday 24 May
Sunday 25 May
Monday 26 May
22–25 May 2015 - 17th Annual Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival
Friday 22 May
Location:
Saturday 23 May
Sunday 24 May
Monday 25 May
2016 26–30 May 2016 - Las Vegas, Nevada Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival
Thursday 26 May
Friday 27 May
Location:
Saturday 28 May
Sunday 29 May
Monday 30 May
10–12 June 2016 - Asbury Park, New Jersey Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival
Saturday 11 June
Location:
Sunday 12 June
27–29 May 2017 - Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival
Friday 26 May
Location:
Saturday 27 May
Sunday 28 May
Monday 29 May
25–28 May 2018 - Punk Rock 20th Bowling & Music Festival
Friday 25 May
Location:
Saturday 26 May
Sunday 27 May
Monday 28 May
24–27 May 2019 - 21st Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival
Thursday 23 May
Friday 24 May
Location:
Saturday 25 May
Sunday 26 May
Monday 27 May
21–25 May 2020 - 22nd Annual Punk Rock Bowling
First postponed to September, the event was subsequently cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Parts of the planned lineups were rescheduled to 2021.
Lineups by year 2021 onwards
24–26 September 2021 - 22nd Annual Punk Rock Bowling
Originally planned for May 2021, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic situation forced the event to be held in the Fall.
Thursday 23 September
Kick off party
Location: Backstage Bar & Billiards, 601 E Fremont St, Las Vegas D.I. Angry Samoans Monique Powell (Save Ferris) Lean 13 DJ Lethal
Location: Sonic Rodeo Stage
Fear Pegboy M.I.A. The Besmirchers
Location: Fremont Country Club, 601 E Fremont St, Las Vegas
Dillinger Four Get Dead Teenage Bottlerocket
Friday 24 September
Morning Pool Party
Location: Citrus Grand Pool Deck
Festival
Monster Energy Stage Jerk! The Linecutters Bad Cop/Bad Cop Pears Dwarves The Queers Anti-Flag Main Stage The Sunnydales The Darts FYP Dillinger Four The Menzingers Frank Turner The Descendents
Club shows
Location: Nerd Bar, 450 E Fremont St, Las Vegas
Dr. Know Ill Repute False Confession Stäläg 13
Location: Sonic Rodeo Stage
Lunachicks Dog Party Mean Jeans
Location: Fremont Country Club, 601 E Fremont St, Las Vegas
The Run Around Strung Out Make War Suicide Machines
Location: Backstage Bar & Billiards, 601 E Fremont St, Las Vegas
Guttermouth Narcoleptic Youth Modern Action Gob Patrol
Saturday 25 September
Morning Pool Party
Location: Citrus Grand Pool Deck
Guttermouth Babe Patrol
Festival
Monster Energy Stage Suburban Resistance Decent Criminal Field Day Plague Vendor The Bronx The Aggrolites Youth of Today Main Stage The Side Eyes Urethane Good Riddance Youth Brigade Leftover Crack Streetlight Manifesto Circle Jerks
Club shows
Location: Citrus Grand Pool Deck
Laura Jane Grace Crazy and The Brains Drakulas A Giant Dog
Location: Fremont Country Club, 601 E Fremont St, Las Vegas
Madball H2O 8 Kalacas D.F.L.
Location: Nerd Bar, 450 E Fremont St, Las Vegas
MDC Verbal Abuse Middle Aged Queers
Location: Sonic Rodeo Stage
Days N Daze Left Alone The Potato Pirates Dead 77
Location: Backstage Bar & Billiards, 601 E Fremont St, Las Vegas Lower Class Brats Slaughterhouse Hanover Saints Liberty & Justice