The World’s Biggest Music Festivals
The World’s Biggest Music Festivals
Some of the biggest music festivals in the world aren’t only known for their incredible attendance records, but also for the quality of the acts showcased. The music festival industry currently has an estimated worth of $3billion – a number which only continues to rise – and it’s easy to understand why.
Mawazine
In Rabat, the capital of Morocco, more than 2 million people gather every year to attend Mawazine. Popularised for bringing together the biggest names in African, Arabic, and international music, Mawazine takes place over 9 days and was started in 2001 under the sponsorship of the King of Morocco.
Summerfest
Established in 1968, Summerfest is held in Wisconsin, USA, and was given the accolade of the “World’s Largest Music Festival” in 1999. Billed as the largest music festival in the USA, more than 850,000 people attend the 11 day-long event which showcases over 800 acts on an annual basis.
Pol’and’Rock (Woodstock Poland)
While the festival was allowed to share the same name as the iconic Woodstock music festival for over 20 years, the organisers of Woodstock Poland recently changed it to Pol’and’Rock. An estimated 1 million attend the festival annually and with a motto like ‘Love, Friendship and Music’, it should come as no surprise that entrance is free.
Glastonbury
It may be a rather obscure accolade, but Glastonbury has earned the title of “the largest green-field music and performing arts festival in the world” – which sounds quite befitting for Australian sports betting! Held across 900 acres of countryside in England’s south-west, Glastonbury hosts more than 200,000 people every day over 5 days.
Coachella
Billed as an alternative and indie music festival, Coachella is likely one of the most well-known music festivals in the world and is also one of the most profitable. Attended by an approximate 600,000 people on an annual basis, the festival regularly grosses close to $95 million.
Rock in Rio
Billed as South America’s largest music festival, the 7 day-long Rock in Rio festival is estimated to be attended by approximately 700,000 people annually. Not only does the festival boast an incredible line-up every year, but organisers also state that they’ve planted 73 million trees in the Amazon rainforest and created more than 200,000 jobs.
Exit Festival
Held in Novi Sad, Serbia, in an old fortress, more than 200,000 people from all around the world attend Exit festival on an annual basis. The festival is particularly popular with people from the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium, but in recent years people from as many as 60 countries have attended.
Donauinselfest / Danube Island Festival
With regular attendance set at over 2 million people, Donauinselfest or the Danube Island Festival is currently considered to be the largest music festival in the world. Held on a 4.5km-long stretch of an island in the middle of the Danube River in Vienna, Austria, Donauinselfest allows approximately 350,000 people to attend the festival for free at any one time over the course of 3 days.