What do most people think of when they hear the words "music festival"? They usually conjure up images of Woodstock and a muddy field overrun by hippies selling hand-dyed T-shirts and cheese sandwiches from their Volkswagen van. Despite the fact that there is in the world whole line festivals that are reminiscent of the cult of the 1960s, most still differ in style.
IN last years Music festivals have become an incredibly popular place to hang out and relax. This may have been due to the impressive rise in concert ticket prices. You can either pay $50-$100 to see one band at a local venue, or you can load your camping gear into a van and pay that much to enjoy a whole week of music and a huge line-up of bands. The latter seems to be a much better option for most band fans. The growing popularity of such concerts has led to the growth of “large-scale” music festivals.
Music festivals are carried out everywhere. Most are just small events held on private property. The organizers gather several groups and invite their friends to spend the weekend with them listening to music in nature. However, there are also music festivals that are simply huge in scope. Some attract tens or even hundreds of thousands of visitors. These music festivals usually start out as small events, but the organizers can become millionaires in a matter of days.
10. Ultra - Miami, Florida - 330,000 visitors in 2014
Ultra is the largest electronic music festival in the United States. It is held annually in Miami, Florida. Since 1999, Ultra has grown from a small weekend festival to an annual gathering of hundreds of thousands of people. Last year, 330,000 people attended this festival. This year it will take place from March 27 to 29. It is planned that such musicians as Afrojack, Avicii and David Guetta will perform at the festival, among others.
9. Tomorrowland - Boom, Belgium - 360,000 visitors in 2014
Tomorrowland began in 2005 and has since become one of the most popular music festivals in the world. This festival has received the International Dance Music Award for "Best Music Event" every year since 2012. It is organized by the Dutch entertainment company ID&T, which hosts it in Belgium. Last year the concert was attended by 360,000 music fans. Tickets for this year's festival are already sold out. It will take place from July 24 to 26. It is planned that such performers as Alesso, Armin van Buuren will perform at the festival Van Buuren) and Hardwell. Belgium's ID&T and SFX Entertainment also host additional festivals: Tomorrowworld in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, and Tomorrowland Brazil in Sao Paulo.
8. Electric Daisy Carnival - Puerto Rico, Mexico, New York, Las Vegas - 375,000 visitors 
Electric Daisy Carnival is the third electronic music festival to make our list. This year the festival is scheduled to take place in four different locations. In past years, the Electric Daisy Carnival has taken place in Puerto Rico, Mexico and New York. This year they added Las Vegas, Nevada to the list of venues. The festival was launched by Insomniac Event in 1997 and attracted 375,000 visitors last year. The addition of a fourth venue in the western United States guarantees an even larger turnout this year. The festival began as an underground festival, but gained widespread attention thanks to the 2013 documentary EDC 2013: Under The Electric Sky, which was based on the Electric Daisy Carnival and screened at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival ( 2014 Sundance Film Festival).
7. New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival - 435,000 visitors in 2014
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is the oldest festival to make the list. This particular festival has become one of the most notable tourist attractions in New Orleans. Not only does it attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, but it also generates $300,000 in net revenue for the city each year. It was estimated that over 435,000 people attended the festival in 2014. This year's New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will run from April 24 to May 3. The main performers of the festival will be: famous artists like Elton John, The Who, Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band.
6. Essence - New Orleans, Louisiana - 550,000 visitors in 2014
Believe it or not, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is not the largest festival that takes place in this city. This title actually belongs to an event known as "Essence". Essence is an indoor festival held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. From the very first year of its existence, the festival earned itself the title of “a party with a meaning.” Last year, more than 550,000 people attended this festival. It is an annual celebration of African American music, art and culture. This year the festival will take place from July 2 to 5. The list of artists invited to perform at the festival has not yet been announced, but in 2014 the festival featured artists such as Prince, Mary J Blige, and Lionel Richie.
5. Coachella - Indio, California - 675,000 visitors in 2014
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is quite possibly the most famous festival on this list. In fact he is a shining example what people imagine when they think of a large-scale modern music festival. Coachella has been held annually since 1999 in Indio, California. Last year, more than 675,000 people attended the festival. This year's festival will feature AC/DC, David Guetta, Drake, Jack White and Steely Dan. Coachella began as a small festival with only a few thousand people attending. Today it is the most profitable festival in the world, collecting $78.3 million in 2014 alone.
4. Rock In Rio Festival - Rio de Janeiro - 700,000 visitors in 2014
The Rock in Rio Festival, which first took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1985, has become one of the largest music festivals in the world. In addition to Brazil, the festival is also held in three other locations - Madrid, Spain, Lisbon, Portugal and for the first time this year, Las Vegas, Nevada. The Rock in Rio USA festival will take place from May 8 to May 16, 2015. This year, such popular and legendary bands as Metallica, No Doubt, Linkin Park, and Taylor Swift will perform at the festival.
3. Summerfest - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 850,000 visitors in 2014
Although it is not as famous as Coachella, Summerfest is the largest music festival held in the United States. In fact, it is the largest music festival in the Western Hemisphere. Summerfest takes place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Henry Maier Festival Park. Since its inception in 1968, Summerfest has become a surprisingly large-scale event. Music bands it is commonly referred to as the "Big Performance". The week-long festival features performances from over 700 artists, ranging from the music industry's hottest bands and artists to... local groups who have just started their musical career.
The biggest advantage of Summerfest is its ticket price. Unlike most others major festivals, such as Coachella, Bonnaroo and Ultras, tickets to the Summerfest festival are available to almost everyone. Last year you could get into the festival for just $15. Some festivals not only charge an admission fee at the door, but also an additional fee for individual shows. However, "Summerfest" doesn't do that. The list of bands that will perform at this year's festival has not yet been announced, but in 2014 artists such as Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Kansas, George Thorogood and Ziggy Marley. The festival even hosted the 25th memorial concert in honor of jazz legend Buddy Rich, where his band performed numbers in which the most famous drummers played in his place.
2. Mawazine Festival - Rabat, Morocco - 2.6 million visitors in 2014
The Mawazine Festival is one of only two music festivals in the world that was attended by more than a million people last year. In 2014, 2.6 million people attended this festival, which takes place annually in Rabat, Morocco. The Mawazine Festival is a celebration of Moroccan culture and art. The festival was started by Mounis Majidi, personal secretary to King Mohammad IV. Majidi is also the founder of the Culture of Morocco group, which has organized various cultural events in the country, the largest of which is the Mawazine festival. This year the festival will take place from May 29 to June 6. Many foreign and local performers will perform there. Last year the main guest of the festival was Justin Timberlake (Justin Timberlake). This year's main guests will be Maroon 5.
1. Donauinselfest Festival - Vienna, Austria - 3.1 million visitors in 2014
Donauinselfest is the largest music festival in the world. It takes place in Vienna, Austria and its name translates as “Festival on the Danube River”. In fact, this music festival takes place on an island located in the middle of the Danube River. To get to the festival, you need to take a ferry. Last year, the festival was attended by 3.1 million people who came to the island to listen to performances by foreign and local musicians. In 2014, the main guest of the Donauinselfest festival was Macy Gray. This year the festival will take place from June 26 to 28. The list of musicians who will perform at this music festival has not yet been announced.
I’ve never been to modern music festivals. Yes, yes... where all these youth trends and fashionable trends in electronic music are. And finally, I can do it. After deciding to go to such an event, I decided to ask how many popular festivals of this kind exist in the world. You know, it turned out to be a lot. Let me make you a small selection of the most interesting and popular electronic music festivals. Well, at the end of the post I’ll tell you what festival I’m going to. Although in general you can easily go there, it is very close - if you have the desire and time.
So, here is the TOP of the world's electronic music festivals. They will not be arranged according to the degree of “coolness”, but in random order, because it is difficult to evaluate this indicator. As they say “taste and color...”.
Let's see...
Ultra Music Festival (Miami, USA)
The rapidly progressing North American open air is gaining momentum every year. From a one-day event to a three-day event, the number of guests and musicians is growing exponentially. In 2014, approximately 200 electronic artists are expected to perform here, including all the greatest DJs of our time. The original scenery of the Ultra Music Festival attracts attention - skyscrapers, huge spotlights, unusual industrial art objects.
date: March 28-30
Line-up: David Guetta, Tiesto, Steve Angello, Above & Beyond, Armin van Buuren, Avicii, Locodice, Andy C, Carl Cox, Diplo, Hardwell, Luciano, Afrojack, Nicky Romero, Cut Copy, MGMT, M.I.A., Eric Prydz, Chase and Status , Example, Dizzee Rascal, Empire of the Sun, Netsky, etc.
Price: $399.95 (3-day pass).
Sonar (Barcelona, Spain)
Concert areas covering more than 10,000 km2, electronic music stars and the most beautiful landscapes of Barcelona. Traditionally, the festival is divided into two parts: day (Sonar by Day) and night (Sonar by Night). During the day, the main events take place in the building of the Santa Monica Contemporary Art Center. Here you can visit a Music Fair or a DJ master class, exhibitions, video installations and fashion shows. At night the festival moves outside the city limits. So, for three days and two nights, Barcelona turns into one crazy and continuous rave party.
date: June 12-14
Line-up: Bonobo, Pretty Lights, Massive Attack, Richie Hawtin, Plastikman, Object, Despacio, Rudimental, Caribou, Woodkid, Four Tet, Moderat, Flux Pavilion, DJ Harvey and others.
Price: 180 € (pass to all events), 125 € (for 2 nights), 72 € (for 1 night), 48 € (for 1 day)
Electric Daisy Carnival (Las Vegas, USA)
The Electric Daisy Carnival festival is an explosive mixture of colorful carnival performances, theatrical and interactive performances, the world's best go-go dances and shows famous musicians in the styles of house, electro-house, progressive house, trance and all kinds of others. A documentary was recently made about the party, telling about all its secrets, philosophy and history. In 2014, organizers expect the arrival of more than 300,000 guests from all over the world.
date: June 20-22
Line-up: not yet announced
Price: $385 (three-day pass), $655 (three-day VIP pass)
TomorrowLand (Boom, Belgium)
The Belgian festival is one of the largest in the world. A record 120,000 guests visited in 2013. And this is not the limit. In 2014, the organizers decided for the first time to extend the tenth anniversary TomorrowLand for two weekends. Armin van Buuren, Tiesto and other top DJs will stay in Belgium for two weeks to please their fans twice. Another feature of the festival will be a unique art object made of thousands of plaques, on which everyone can leave their message.
There is an American follower of TomorrowLand called TomorrowWorld, which also attracts many music lovers.
date: July 18-20 (first weekend) and July 25-27 (second weekend)
Line-up: Armin van Buuren, Tiesto, Eric Prydz, Sander van Doorn, Hardwell, Alesso, Steve Angello, Nicky Romero, Carl Cox, Dillon Francis, Netsky, Jamie Jones, Diplo, Sven Vath and others.
Price: from 52.5 €
Global Gathering (Stratford-upon-Avon, UK)
"Bigger, better, faster, stronger!" (“Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger!”) - this initially seemingly comic slogan turned a small club party into a world-scale project. Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, Tiesto, Paul van Dyk, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Oakenfold, Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers - all of them and many others have already performed here and are happy to return to the British festival again and again. Today, the geography of the event has expanded to three continents - their own Global Gatherings are now held all over the world: from Russia to South Korea.
date: July 25-26
Line-up: not yet announced.
Price: £120 (two day pass), £195 (two day VIP pass)
Nature One (Kastellaun, Germany)
The history of the German Nature One begins in 1995. For the first time, the festival gathered 13,000 ravers on the territory of a former military airfield. Since then, the party has moved to a nearby former missile base, expanded into a campsite, and acquired thousands of new fans. After the closing of Germany's most famous electronic festival, Loveparade, it was Nature One that became a magnet for German electronic music lovers. Here, every year, extraordinary 3D structures hover over the stage are built and wonderful fireworks are launched.
Stereosonic (Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane - Australia)
The Australian electronic festival Stereosonic is progressing with giant steps. Having existed for only its seventh year, it has already awarded itself the title of the largest open air event on the continent, annually attracting DJs and hundreds of thousands of guests from all over the world. In 2014, the festival will cover 5 largest Australian cities with a two-day show. Every time a completely new unusual program is prepared here, and the list of main guest stars is kept secret until the last.
date: November 29-30 (Sydney, Perth), December 5-6 (Adelaide), December 6-7 (Melbourne, Brisbane)
Line-up: not yet announced
Price: the estimated price of a two-day pass is from $200 (the first tickets will go on sale on March 13)
Well, as you yourself understand, going to these festivals is not so easy and not so cheap. Personally, I definitely won’t be able to do it in the near future. So look at where I'm going after all. It's just" Nizhny Novgorod, but they promise it will be COOL!
date: July 17-19, Nizhny Novgorod, airfield on the Volga
Price: 4500 rubles, all days of the festival, all areas of the festival (except VIP), unlimited number of entrances and exits.
Here's what the organizers promise:
3,000 parking spaces for festival guests;
2000 equipped branded tents (inside the tent: two camping mats, two sleeping bags and a surprise from the organizers. After the festival, you can take the tent and all its contents with you!
The tent camp will be equipped with showers, toilets, chargers, and there will also be points for selling food;
4 stages and more than 30 food outlets with various cuisines (Russian, Italian, Pan-Asian, American, etc.), 14 bars
A professional American football match between the Raiders 52 (Nizhny Novgorod) and Rebels (Yaroslavl) teams, where you will finally learn the difference between American football and rugby
Speeches by popular bloggers and representatives of large technology companies (Beeline, Google) are announced, who will talk about the most interesting gadgets and innovations. Here you will learn about Apple watch competitors and what gadgets you can buy for $100
All AFP guests will have a rare opportunity not only to have a good rest, but also to check their health, absolutely free of charge!
The festival will be attended by such YouTubers as Ivan Gai, Enjoikin, Successful group and others:)
The festival will have the largest wi-fi zone in Russia, which will cover all 6 hectares and provide all guests with high-speed Internet. Beeline provides high-speed 4G Internet in an open field for the entire festival period.
Confess, who is coming?
The biggest music festivals in the world
What do most people think of when they hear the word "music festival"? As a rule, images of Woodstock, mountains of garbage and crowds of hippies are imagined. While there are still a few festivals reminiscent of the 1960s counterculture, there are many music festivals today that have nothing in common with Woodstock. The reason for this is probably the ever-increasing price of concert tickets. There are music festivals everywhere, but most of them are just small local events. However, there are also large global events that attract hundreds of thousands of guests. They also started small, but concert promoters quickly became millionaires.
Ultra–Miami, 330,000 visitors
One of the largest electronic music festivals in the world is held annually in Miami, Florida. Since 1999, Ultra – Miami has grown from a small underground weekend festival to an annual gathering of hundreds of thousands of fans. In 2014, the festival was visited by 330,000 music lovers. You can visit Ultra Miami from March 27th to 29th.
Tomorrowland–Boom, 360,000 visitors
Tomorrowland began in 2005 and has since become one of the most recognized music festivals in the world. The festival received the International Dance Music Award for “Best Electronic Music World Event”. The event is organized by the Dutch entertainment company ID&T and takes place in Belgium. In 2014, the concert was attended by 360,000 fans. All tickets for 2015 are already sold out. Tommorowland-Boom will take place from July 24th to 26th and will be headlined by Armin Van Buuren and Hardwell. ID&T Belgium and SFX Entertainment also produces Tomorrowworld in the Chattahoochee Hills and Tomorrowland in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Electric Daisy Carnival, 375,000 visitors
Electric Daisy Carnival is the third electronic music festival on this list. This special event is planned in four different cities in 2015. Last year, the e-Carnival was held in Puerto Rico, Mexico City and New York. Las Vegas is being added this year. The event started with the Insomniac Festival in 1997 and welcomed just over 375,000 fans in 2014. The addition of a new city in the Western United States guarantees a decent increase in attendance this year. This festival became mega-popular among the public due to the documentary film EDC 2013: Under The Electric Sky, which was entirely dedicated to the event.
New Orleans Jazz Festival, 435,000 attendees
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is the oldest music festival on this list. This particular festival has become one of the biggest attractions in the city of New Orleans. Not only does it attract hundreds of thousands of people, but it generates approximately $300,000 in revenue for the city annually. It is estimated that more than 435,000 people attended this event in 2014. The 2015 Jazz Festival will take place from April 24th to May 3rd, with famous headliners including Elton John, The Who, Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band.
Essence in New Orleans, 550,000 visitors
Believe it or not, the New Orleans Jazz Festival is not the biggest music event in New Orleans. That title actually belongs to the festival known as Essense. This festival takes place in a special Superdome and from the first years of its existence it has earned a very good reputation. Last year's party hosted more than 550,000 people. This annual celebration of African American music, art and culture is scheduled for July 2-5 this year. Participants have yet to be announced, but Prince and Lionel Richie were among the headliners here in 2014.
Coachella Festival, 675,000 visitors
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is probably the most famous festival on this list. In fact, this is how many people imagine a large-scale modern music festival. Coachella has been held in Indio, California every year since 1999. Last year it was attended by more than 675,000 people. This year AC/DC, David Guetta, Drake, Jack White and many other celebrities will perform here. When it first began, the small Coachella festival attracted just a couple thousand guests, but it is now the world's most profitable music festival, earning $78.3 million in 2014.
Rock in Rio, 700,000 visitors
First held in Rio de Janeiro in 1985, Rock in Rio has become one of the largest music festivals in the world. In addition to its Brazilian version, the festival is now held in three other cities: Madrid in Spain, Lisbon in Portugal and Las Vegas (for the first time this year). This year's Rock in Rio is scheduled for May 8-16. Among its headliners are always best groups world like Metallica, No Doubt, Linkin Park and Taylor Swift.
Summerfest in Milwaukee, 850,000 visitors
This festival is not as famous as Coachella. However, Summerfest is the largest music festival in the United States. In fact, it is the largest music festival in the Western Hemisphere. Summerfest takes place at Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. First held in 1968, Summerfest has grown into a huge event and is nicknamed the “Big Gig.” Summerfest lasts a week - during this time more than 700 performers, both famous and not so famous, manage to perform here. The biggest advantage of Summerfest is the price. Unlike many other major festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo and Ultra, Summerfest is very affordable. Last year, a day ticket cost only $15. Some festivals collect an admission fee and then sell additional tickets for individual shows. But not Summerfest... Here a single ticket is valid for all performers and concerts.
Mawazine Festival, 2.6 million visitors
Mawazine is one of only two music festivals in the world to attract over 1 million people. Last year, 2.6 million people attended the festival in Rabat, Morocco. This outstanding event in Moroccan culture and art was founded by Mounis Majidi, personal secretary to King Mohammad IV. Majidi is also the founder of the group “Moroc Culture”, which organizes various cultural events in the country. As you might have guessed, Mawazine is the biggest of these events. The festival runs from May 29th to June 6th. Both international celebrities and local Moroccan performers perform. Last year the headliner was Justin Timberlake. Popular group Maroon 5 is expected this year.
Donauinselfest, 3.1 million visitors
Donauinselfest is the largest music festival in the world. The Danube Island Festival is held in Vienna, Austria. An island in the middle of the Danube River was chosen as the venue. Fans are brought here by special ships. Last year 3.1 million people visited the island to see the performance best performers in the world. Donauinselfest was founded by Macy Gray in 2014. Festival dates: June 6th to 28th.
Music festivals around the world are global mass events that attract hundreds of thousands of fans and live concertgoers across the planet. A properly organized music festival is talented musicians, an exciting show and, of course, a well-chosen, often picturesque location. The energy, drive and emotions of a crowd of thousands make the festival an unforgettable event. Here is a list of the best music festivals in the world.
Glastonbury is a music festival in England taking place in June on the weekend closest to the day summer solstice. This festival was founded in 1970 and today is one of the oldest operating music mega festivals, one of best festivals in Europe. Every year, about 175 thousand spectators attend the festival, which lasts 3 days. Heavy rainfall often occurs at this time in the Glastonbury area, which has become associated with the festival itself
Austin City Limits – Austin, Texas, USA
Austin City Limits – Austin, Texas, USA
The creators of the Austin City Limit music festival were inspired by the TV show of the same name, which aired in live live music from Austin, Texas. The TV show focused mainly on music such as folk, country and rock. However, today the festival features some of the most popular musicians from different genres.
Burning Man – Nevada, USA
The festival in the Nevada desert is not the most attended, but it is definitely one of the most unusual music festivals in the world. The annual art event attracts 50,000 participants who form a temporary commune for a week. A commune called “Black Rock City” is the core concept of the festival, extolling art in any form and radical forms of self-expression. And the name of the festival comes from the annual burning of a wooden effigy on American Labor Day, the date of which coincides with the time of the festival.
Coachella – California, USA
Coachella – California, USA
The festival, which takes place in California every April, is considered the best music festival in the United States. The festival attracts an average of 75,000 people per day, and for the last 3 years the festival has been completely sold out. The festival features a variety of music genres and artists from mainstream to alternative musicians. Known for its vibrant musical and art performances.
Rock in Rio – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rock in Rio is the biggest music festival in Latin America. This global festival was formed in 1985 in Rio de Janeiro, then the festival expanded across the Atlantic to Lisbon (Portugal) and Madrid (Spain). In 2013 the festival takes place in Buenos Aires in Argentina. It is visited annually by more than 250 thousand spectators.
Tomorrowland Belgium
Tomorrowland Belgium
Tumorrowland is certainly one of the most popular global music events of our time, a global electronic music festival. It takes place in the town of Boom in Belgium on the last weekend of July, with approximately 50 thousand spectators per day attending. Getting tickets for Tomorrowland is a task of the highest level, as they sell out almost instantly from the moment they go on sale. The festival is extremely spectacular; huge, impressive decorations are its distinguishing feature.