The first Vans Warped Tour took place in 1995.
The tour was created by Kevin Lyman as a traveling music festival that initially combined punk rock with action sports and alternative youth culture. The first edition used the Vans name, although Vans was not originally the event’s sole defining identity in the way it later became.
The inaugural tour featured bands including Sublime, Sick of It All, L7, and No Doubt. Its mobile format allowed the festival to visit many cities during one summer rather than operate from a single venue.
The Warped Tour later became a major platform for punk, pop-punk, ska, post-hardcore, and emo acts. It ran annually for many years, with the final full cross-country tour taking place in 2018 before later anniversary events and special editions.