Airbnb Announces Fare Thee Well Experience Contest

With demand high for hotel rooms in Chicago during a typical Fourth of July weekend, it’s no surprise rates for rooms are through the roof since Deadheads will descend upon the city for Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years Of Grateful Dead this year. Many have gone with another option for lodging at the shows –Airbnb. The world’s leading community-driven hospitality company recognized the connection by offering a chance for one of its lucky hosts and their guest to win a VIP Fare Thee Well experience that includes the opportunity to be drummer Bill Kreutzmann’s backstage guests.

The winner of the contest and their guest will receive an experience that includes VIP tickets and access to all three Fare Thee Well shows at Soldier Field July 3 -5. Additionally, the winner and guest will be treated to a special Airbnb-hosted tour of Chicago’s local venues recommended by Bill Kreutzmann, a stay at a local Chicago Airbnb home and the chance to spend time with Kreutzmann backstage. Three winners will also receive two 3-day passes each to the sold-out shows.

“Wherever the Grateful Dead went — be it Chicago, New York, Detroit, or any other typical city involved in a typical daydream — we were surrounded by Deadheads,” said drummer and founding member Bill Kreutzmann. “Not just fans; real community. Local Deadheads would host traveling Deadheads, and as the tour continued onward, the hosts would become the visitors. I get a little bit of that now, myself, as both an Airbnb host and as a frequent traveler. I love seeing that tradition continue, both within and beyond the Deadhead community, and I love seeing it extend out to the world community. So of course I feel a kinship with all the other Airbnb hosts who are traveling to Chicago for Fare Thee Well or who call it their home. It’s just another manifestation of the true spirit of the Grateful Dead.”

“We know that Fare Thee Well will be one of the most popular weekends to travel to Chicago this summer, and there’s no better time to host on Airbnb” said Andrea La Mesa, Airbnb Regional Director for North America. “Partnering with Grateful Dead original members for this once in a lifetime experience will allow us to honor our host community -whether they’re local and hosting fans or traveling to the shows themselves.”

[A New Trailer For Fare Thee Well In Theaters]

Airbnb has also announced that as part of its partnership with Grateful Dead original members for their Fare Thee Well shows in Chicago, the company will make a donation to support a musically themed playground as part of the Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Chicago Plays! Program. This will be built in a neighborhood of need in the city of Chicago.

In order to win the Fare Thee Well experience, visit the “Win a Chance to Be Our Grateful Guest at Chicago’s Fare Thee Well Show” page on Airbnb no later than June 18, 2015 at 11:59pm PT and answer the question, “Why do you deserve to hang backstage with Bill during Fare Thee Well in Chicago?”. The contest is open to all active hosts on Airbnb whether in Chicago or elsewhere. Head to the contest page for more details including terms and conditions.

Fare Thee Well -Celebrating 50 Years Of Grateful Dead features the “core four” of Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart joined by keyboardists Bruce Hornsby and Jeff Chimenti as well as guitarist Trey Anastasio.

Watch our own Grateful Dead 50 tribute, the Songs Of Their Own video series including performances from Anders Osborne & Luther Dickinson, Yonder Mountain String Band, Leftover Salmon, Keller Williams and more via the YouTube Playlist below: