A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality, or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending, performance art, and social activities. Many festivals are annual, or repeat at some other interval. Some, including many rock festivals, are held only once. Some festivals are organized as for-profit concerts and others are benefits for a specific cause. Another type of music festival is the educative type, organized annually in local communities, regionally, or nationally, for the benefit of amateur musicians of all ages and grades of achievement.
The Pythian Games at Delphi included musical performances, and may be one of the earliest festivals known. During the Middle Ages, festivals were often held as competitions.
Another type of music festival is the educative type, often organized annually in local communities, regionally, or nationally, for the benefit of amateur musicians of all ages and grades of achievement. Entrants perform prepared pieces in front of an audience which includes competitors. But the essential feature of this type of festival is that each participant receives verbal and written feedback, there and then, from a highly qualified, professional adjudicator—someone whom they might never meet in any other way. They also usually receive a certificate, classified according to merit, and some may win trophies. The competitive element is often played down, however, as the important aspect is that participants can learn from one another. Such festivals aim to provide a friendly and supportive platform for musicians to share in the excitement of making music. For many, they provide a bridge from lessons and examinations to performing confidently in public.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin's 11-day event, Summerfest, promotes itself as "The World's Largest Music Festival", a title certified by the Guinness World Records and has been held since 1999. Operating annually since 1968, the festival attracts between 800,000 and 1,000,000 people each year, and hosts over 800 musical acts. The Woodstock Festival in 1969 drew nearly 500,000 attendees, and the Polish spin-off Przystanek Woodstock drew 700,000 in 2011. The largest annual greenfield music festival in the world is Roskilde Festival in Denmark, which attracts about 135,000 spectators each year. Glastonbury Festival has a capacity of about 175,000 spectators, but has "fallow years" roughly every five years, so it is the biggest non-annual greenfield festival in the world. The oldest annual dedicated pop music festival in the world is Pinkpop Festival in the Netherlands, though in other genres, there are much older ones: the Three Choirs Festival in the UK has run annually since 1719.
Lists of music festivals organized by date:
List of historic music festivalsList of historic Bach festivalsList of historic electronic music festivalsList of historic hip hop music festivalsList of historic jazz festivalsList of historic rock festivalsList of historic heavy metal festivalsList of music festivals in AfricaList of music festivals in AsiaList of music festivals in EuropeList of music festivals in North AmericaList of music festivals in OceaniaList of music festivals in South AmericaCategory:International music festivals (categories)Category:Lists of music festivals by country (lists)Category:Music festivals by country (categories)The following are selected music festivals that are recurring as of 2015. For a more complete listing of active and defunct festivals by region, see Category:Music festivals by country. Some sections may also have links to related lists of music festivals by country.
MalawiLake of Stars Music Festival, Lake MalawiMoroccoMawazine, RabatNamibiaWindhoek Metal Fest, WindhoekSouth AfricaOppikoppi, NorthamSplashy Fen, UnderbergUltra South Africa, Johannesburg/Cape TownUgandaKampala Capital City Authority (KACCA) Festival, Laba Festival of the ArtsMilege World Music Festival, Bayimba FestivalPearl Rhythm Festival, Nyege NyegeABU Radio Song FestivalABU TV Song FestivalStylematic, DhakaBeijing Pop Festival, BeijingMidi Modern Music Festival, BeijingModern Sky Festival, BeijingClockenflapThe Great Indian October Fest, BangaloreHornbill Festival, KohimaMood Indigo, IIT Bombay, MumbaiMusic in the HillsNH7 Weekender, PunePlayground 7 Festival, PunePulse, New DelhiREBECA, IIEST, HowrahRock Ethos, BangaloreRock 'n India, BangaloreRuhaniyat – The All India Sufi & Mystic Music Festival, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, PuneSaarang (IIT Madras), ChennaiSunburn Festival, GoaEncore (NITK Surathkal, Mangalore)Tyagaraja AradhanaDjakarta Warehouse Project, JakartaHammersonic Festival, JakartaJakarta International Java Jazz Festival, JakartaJava Rockin'land, JakartaJava Soulnation, JakartaJava Soundsfair, JakartaRock In Solo, SoloSunny Side Up Tropical Festival, BaliUltra Beach Bali, BaliWe The Fest, JakartaJerusalem International Oud FestivalRed Sea Jazz Festival, EilatConcert on the Rock, NakatsuFuji Rock Festival, NaebaSummer Sonic Festival, Chiba, OsakaBeirut Nights, BeirutFuture Music Festival Asia, Kuala LumpurRainforest World Music Festival, KuchingMyanmar
Sunboxx Beach Festival, Ngwe Saung BeachFête de la Musique, KathmanduHimalayan Blues Festival, KathmanduJazzmandu, Kathmandu7107 International Music Festival, Clark, PampangaAti-Atihan Festival, KaliboElectronic Music Festival (EMF), ManilaMassKara Festival, BacolodNeverland Manila, ManilaPulp Summer Slam, ManilaSinulog Festival, CebuAwitenista, Ateneo de Davao University, Davao1 World Music FestivalBaybeatsMosaic Music FestivalSingfestSt Jerome's Laneway FestivalZoukOutBusan Rock Festival, BusanETPFest, SeoulJisan Valley Rock Festival, IcheonPentaport Rock Festival, IncheonSeoul World DJ Festival, YangpyeongTongyeong International Music Festival, TongyeongUltra Korea, SeoulAventuraFête de la MusiqueSAGABeastie Rock Festival, TaipeiBeigang International Music Festival, BeigangHohaiyan Rock Festival, GongliaoSpring Scream, KentingTaichung Jazz Festival, TaichungWake up Festival, ChiayiThailand
Wonderfruit, PattayaDubai Desert Rock Festival, DubaiCoca-Cola SoundFest, Ho Chi Minh CityEurovision Song ContestJunior Eurovision Song ContestTurkvision Song ContestBala Turkvision Song ContestDonaufestival, KremsDonauinselfest, ViennaFrequency Festival, Sankt PöltenNova Rock, NickelsdorfSnowbombing, MayrhofenWien ModernKavarna Rock Fest, KavarnaMarch Music Days, RousseSpirit of Burgas, BurgasFOR Festival, HvarThe Garden festival, Tisno, ZadarHartera, RijekaHideout festival, Island of PagINmusic festival, ZagrebLove SystemMetalfest Croatia, ZadarOutlook festival, PulaUltra Europe, Split & HvarBrutal Assault, JaroměřColours of Ostrava, OstravaCzechtalent Zlín, ZlínCzechTekThe International Music Festival of F. L. Vek, DobruškaMasters Of Rock, VizoviceMighty Sounds, TáborPrague Spring International Music Festival, PragueRock for People, Hradec KrálovéCopenhagen Distortion, CopenhagenCopenhagen Jazz Festival, CopenhagenCopenhell, CopenhagenMidtfyns Festival, RingeNorthSide Festival, ÅrhusRoskilde festival, RoskildeSkanderborg Festival, SkanderborgSPOT, ÅrhusTinderbox, OdenseTønder Festival, TønderVanguard Music Festival, CopenhagenEstonian Song Festival, TallinnHard Rock Laager, Vana-VigalaRabarock, JärvakandiViljandi Folk, ViljandiFinland
Ankkarock, VantaaDBTL, TurkuFinnish Metal Expo, HelsinkiIlosaarirock, JoensuuJalometalli Metal Music Festival, OuluKaustinen Folk Music Festival, KaustinenMaata Näkyvissä, TurkuPori Jazz, PoriProvinssirock, SeinäjokiRuisrock, TurkuSauna Open Air Metal Festival, TampereSavonlinna Opera Festival, SavonlinnaTammerfest, TampereTuska Open Air Metal Festival, HelsinkiWeekend Festival, HelsinkiTahkon Juhannus, TahkoAix-en-Provence Festival, Aix-en-ProvenceEurockéennes, BelfortFestival Interceltique de Lorient, LorientHellfest Summer Open Air, ClissonLa Route du Rock, Saint-MaloMain Square Festival, ArrasMusicalta Festival, RouffachMusilac, Aix-les-bainsPitchfork Music Festival, ParisPrintemps de Bourges, BourgesRock En Seine, Saint-CloudSoy Festival, NantesVieilles Charrues Festival, CarhaixVillette Sonique, ParisBerlin Festival, BerlinFusion Festival, LärzHaldern Pop, HaldernHurricane Festival, ScheeßelJazzFest Berlin, BerlinMayday, DortmundM'era Luna Festival, HildesheimMelt! Festival, GräfenhainichenNature One, KastellaunRock am Ring and Rock im ParkSkandaløs-Festival, NeukirchenSonneMondSterne, BleilochtalsperreSouthside Festival, TuttlingenSplash, Ferropolis, GräfenhainichenSummerjam, KölnWacken Open Air, WackenWave-Gotik-TreffenColour Day Festival, AthensPlisskën Festival, AthensRockwave Festival, MalakasaB.my.Lake, Zamárdi (Lake Balaton)Balaton Sound, Zamárdi (Lake Balaton)Budapest Essentials, BudapestFezen, SzékesfehérvárMiskolc Opera Festival, MiskolcOzora Festival Psychedelic Tribal Gathering, OzoraRockmaraton, DunaújvárosSziget Festival, BudapestVolt Festival, SopronIceland
Eistnaflug, NeskaupstaðurIceland Airwaves, ReykjavíkÞjóðhátíð, HeimaeyIreland
Music in Monkstown, MonkstownCastlepalooza, TullamoreCloughtoberfest, CloughjordanCois Fharraige, KilkeeElectric Picnic, StradballyGarden Party, AthboyHarvest Time Blues, MonaghanIndiependence, MitchelstownLife Festival, MullingarLismore Music Festival, WaterfordLive at the Marquee, CorkMidlands, MullingarOxegen, NaasSlane Concert, Slane CastleTemple Bar TradFest, DublinLatvian Song and Dance Festival, Riga (~100 000 visitors, takes place once in five years)Positivus Festival, Salacgrīva (46 000 visitors)Saulkrasti Jazz Festival, SaulkrastiKaziuko mugė, VilniusKilkim Žaibu, VarniaiTundra, ZarasaiOpen Air Field, LintgenRock um Knuedler, LuxembourgOhrid Fest, OhridOhrid summer Festival, OhridSkopje FestSkopje Jazz FestivalFestival Internazzjonali tal-Kanzunetta Maltija (1960–2013)Isle of MTVCreamfieldsL-Għanja tal-PopluMalta Jazz Festival (1990–present)Malta Song for Europe (known also as Malta Eurovision)Gustar Music Festival, Rezervatia cultural-naturala, Orheiul VechiNetherlands
5 Days Off, AmsterdamAmsterdam Open Air, AmsterdamArrow Rock Festival, Biddinghuizende-Affaire, NijmegenDefqon.1 Festival, BiddinghuizenDekmantel, AmsterdamFestival Mundial, TilburgIncubate, TilburgLe Guess Who?, UtrechtLowlands, BiddinghuizenMasters of Hardcore, ZaandamParkpop, The HaguePinkpop Festival, LandgraafQlimax, ArnhemSensation, AmsterdamState-X, The HagueBergen International FestivalBergenfest, BergenBukta Tromsø Open Air Festival, TromsøCanal Street, ArendalHole in the Sky, BergenHove Festival, TromøyIce Music Festival, GeiloKongsberg Jazzfestival, KongsbergMaiJazz, StavangerMoldejazz, MoldeNattjazz, BergenNordlysfestivalen, TromsøNorwegian Wood, OsloNotodden Blues Festival, NotoddenPolarjazz, LongyearbyenPstereo, TrondheimQuart Festival, KristiansandSildajazz, HaugesundSlottsfjell, TønsbergStavernfestivalen, StavernStoråsfestivalen, MeldalTrondheim Jazz Festival, TrondheimØyafestivalen, OsloPoland
Coke Live Music Festival, KrakówCreamfields, WrocławMayday, KatowiceMetalmania, KatowiceNational Festival of Polish Song, OpoleOff Festival, KatowiceOpen'er Festival, GdyniaOrange Warsaw Festival, WarsawPiknik Country, MrągowoSonisphere Festival, WarsawSopot International Song Festival, SopotUnsound Festival, KrakowWoodstock Festival Poland, KostrzynBoom Festival, Idanha-a-NovaFestival de Vilar de Mouros, Vilar de MourosNOS Alive!, LisbonNOS Primavera Sound, PortoRock in Rio, LisbonSudoeste Festival, Zambujeira do MarSuper Bock Super Rock, MecoVagos Open Air, VagosVodafone Paredes de Coura, Paredes de CouraEDP Beach Party, MatosinhosFestival do Crato, PortalegreMeo Marés Vivas, Vila Nova de GaiaMilhões de Festa, BarcelosNos Primavera Sound, PortoSumol Summer Fest, EriceiraWoodrock Festival, Figueira Da FozRFM Somnii, Figueira da FozMusa Cascais, CascaisLisbon Psych Fest, LisbonFesta do Avante, SeixalBons Sons, TomarFestins, AlcainsSonic Blast Moledo, Viana do CasteloExpofacic, CantanhedeFestival Secundário, GouveiaSão Paio da Torreira, MurtosaQueima das Fitas, Coimbra, PortoFesta das Latas, CoimbraCasals FestivalArtmania Festival – Sibiu, SibiuElectric Castle Festival – Cluj-Napoca, BontidaEUROPAfest – Bucureşti, IlfovGărâna Jazz Festival – Brebu Nou şi Gărâna, Caraș-SeverinPeninsula (Félsziget) Festival – Târgu Mureș, MureșAfisha Picnic, Moscow, Saint PetersburgEmpty Hills, Kaluga OblastInProg, MoscowIntervision Song ContestMaxidrom, MoscowNashestvie, Moscow OblastSysto Palty, Leningrad OblastTuborg GreenFest, Moscow, Saint PetersburgArsenal Fest, KragujevacBelgrade Beer Fest, BelgradeEXIT, Novi SadGitarijada Rock Festival, ZaječarGuča trumpet festival, GučaNišville Jazz Festival, NišBratislava Music Festival, BratislavaBratislava New Generation-Day FM Festival, BratislavaGrape music festival, PiešťanyKošice Music Spring Festival, KošicePohoda, TrenčínFestival Lent, MariborSajeta, TolminMetaldays, TolminFestival Internacional de Música de Canarias . Born 1985 Salas Principales Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas y Auditorio Adán Martin, Tenerife.
BenicàssimBilbao Live Festival, BilbaoCreamfields Andalucía, El EjidoFestival Internacional de Benicàssim, Benicàssim, CastellóInterceltic Festival of Avilés, AsturiasMonegros, Desierto de los Monegros, HuescaPrimavera Sound, BarcelonaRock in Rio, MadridSónar, BarcelonaSonorama, Aranda de Duero, BurgosSummercase, Madrid and BarcelonaTelecogresca, BarcelonaArvika Festival, VärmlandBråvalla festival, NorrköpingGreen World Yoga & Sacred Music Festival, SkåneHultsfred Festival, SmålandKnarrholmenMetaltown Festival, GothenburgPeace & Love, BorlängeSiesta!, HässleholmStorsjöyran, ÖstersundSweden Rock Festival, NorjeUppsala Reggae Festival, UppsalaWay Out West, GothenburgWhere the Action Is, StockholmSwitzerland
Avo Session Basel, BaselBlue Balls Festival, LucerneCaribana Festival, CransGreenfield Festival, InterlakenGurtenfestival, BernMontreux Jazz Festival, MontreuxNox Illuminata, BaselPaléo Festival, NyonFrauenfeld Openair, ThurgauVerbier Festival, VerbierIstanbul International Jazz Festival, IstanbulIstanbul International Music Festival, Istanbulİzmir European Jazz Festival, İzmirMediterranean International Music Festival, AntalyaMersin International Music Festival, MersinNeon International Psychedelic Music & Art Festival, BursaRockIstanbul, IstanbulRock'n Coke, IstanbulSonisphere Festival, IstanbulBanderstadt, Volyn RegionChervona RutaCrimea Music FestGlobal Gathering, KievGogolfestKazantipKraina Mriy, KievKyiv Music FestMoloko Music Festival, KievPidkamin, Lviv RegionRock Sich, KievSlavske Rock, Slavske, Lviv RegionStare Misto Reck Fest, LvivTrypilske koloZakhid, Lviv RegionEngland
Northern Ireland
Belsonic, BelfastPlanetLove, AntrimScotland
Rockness, DoresT in the Park, KinrossTartan Heart Festival, InvernessWickerman Festival, DundrennanWales
Brecon Jazz Festival, Brecon BeaconsThe Green Man Festival, Brecon BeaconsGregynog Music Festival, GregynogHammerfest, Hafan y MorThe Square Festival, BorthSŵn, CardiffWakestock, AbersochNew Zealand
Big Day Out, AucklandHomegrown Music Festival, WellingtonLaneway Festival, AucklandNambassa, Waihi, WaikinoRhythm & Vines, GisborneSoundscape, HamiltonCosquin Rock, CosquínCreamfields BA, Buenos AiresLollapalooza, San IsidroMonsters of Rock, Buenos AiresPepsi Music Festival, Buenos AiresPersonal fest, Buenos AiresQuilmes Rock, QuilmesBach Festival, CochabambaLollapalooza, São PauloMonsters of Rock, São PauloPlaneta Atlantida, Porto AlegreRock in Rio, Rio de JaneiroSWU Music & Arts, PaulíniaTomorrowland, ItuLife in Color, SantiagoLollapalooza Chile, SantiagoMaquinaria Festival, SantiagoMysteryland, PicarquínSensation, SantiagoUltra Chile, Santiago or Viña del MarViña del Mar International Song Festival, Viña del MarNem-Catacoa Festival, BogotáRock al parque, BogotáQuito Fest, QuitoUltra Fest Sia Acting, LojaUfest Performance, Loja
