Hundreds of bands pass through Denver each year. As such, it was only a matter of time before a giant music festival like this year’s Mile High Music Festival was undertaken.

Perhaps it was the success of last fall’s Monolith Music Festival at Red Rocks that prompted promoters to get to work on another festival or maybe it was just the right time.

Either way, the Mile High Music Festival in July promises to be the summer’s biggest musical menagerie to hit this great city.

The festival, sponsored by SanDisk and AEG Live, will invade Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City on July 19 and 20.

The lineup is a virtual who’s who of music with styles ranging from hip hop to pseudo-country and jam bands.

In addition to a slew of great music, the festival will also have an artists’ market provided by the ArtDistrict on Santa Fe Drive to showcase the work of a host of Denver’s leading artists.

The festival’s food selections will serve to highlight many local restaurants.

And, not to miss the social awareness aspect of such events, Conscious Alliance will be selling limited edition posters for $10 or 10 nonperishable food item donations, proceeds benefiting the Food Bank of the Rockies.

All other aspects aside, the real reason to get off your couch and brave the summer heat is the music.

Not only will Mile High Music Festival shed a light on the best local music Denver has to offer (home-town heroes like the Flobots, Rose Hill Drive, Meese, Born In The Flood, Railbenders and The Photo Atlas), it is bringing to town hordes of great national acts including the likes of John Mayer, The Black Crowes, Mike Gordon, O.A.R., Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Steve Winwood, Spoon, Jason Mraz, Flogging Molly, Colbie Caillat, OneRepublic, The Whigs, The Roots and Lupe Fiasco, to name a few.

Although it might seem like a hodge-podge of acts, it provides a killer line-up with at least one act you will love while providing the opportunity to discover a ton of new acts, genres and styles. Bill Threlkeld III of Denver darlings The Photo Atlas expressed his delight in the diverse line-up when he said, “I like this style of festival rather that something that pigeonholes all the same type of music. I like the fact that it is so diverse because there’s so much different stuff out there.”

The one act that seems to be on everybody’s mind, however, is the one and only Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Sure, people are jazzed to see the Dave Matthews Band, the other headliner, but the buzz surrounding Tom Petty is simply too loud to miss.

When interviewing a few of the festival’s acts, each one seemed particularly excited to play with the legendary Petty.

Julian Dorio of The Whigs confessed, “I’ve never seen Tom Petty and I can’t say that we’re really playing with him but I am really excited to check him out because obviously he’s really amazing.”

Local favorite The Railbenders’ frontman Jim Dalton expressed similar sentiments when I asked him which act at Mile High he way looking forward to the most, “I’d have to say Tom Petty because I’ve never seen Tom Petty live. I’ve always been a fan but never got to see him.”

All things Petty aside, the festival promises to be a great weekend for artists and fans alike.

For musicians like Dorio, “Mile High Festival and shows like it are really exciting because they put you in front of a lot of people all at once.”

In addition to performing, artists too enjoy the chance to catch some of their favorite bands as audience members as well.

Threlkeld, who was particularly excited about seeing Rodrigo y Gabriela said that he was “psyched” and “will be trying to catch as many shows as (he) can.”

For the average concertgoer, Mile High promises to be a great weekend of great art, good food and exceptional music.

What more could you ask for in the middle of your summer fun?

Plus, if the lineup is this good for the festival’s inaugural year, one can only imagine what phenomenal acts it will boast in the future.

Make sure to catch at least one day of shows or get crazy and tackle both days! Tickets are still available at www.milehighmusicfestival.com.