27 Biggest Music Festivals in the U.S.

There’s nothing like music festivals. Promoters pull out all the stops to put on shows with big-name musicians, rising stars and huge crowds.

Music festivals are bigger than ever now, and they’re coming to a town near you. These are the biggest music festivals in the United States. 

Dates: July

Location: Newport, Rhode Island

Number of attendees: 13,000+

Note: All attendance figures are the approximate total number of attendees for the whole event.

While the Newport Folk Festival doesn’t have the large attendance numbers of some of the other festivals on this list, it is one of the largest gatherings in terms of importance. 

Starting in 1959, Newport is responsible for introducing acts like Peter, Paul and Mary; Pete Seeger; and Bob Dylan to the public (in 1965, Dylan “went electric” at Newport and outraged his folk fans), and it has been connected to protest movements like the Civil Rights Movement and climate change awareness. 

In 2022, Joni Mitchell made her triumphant return to the Newport stage — the last time she played the festival was in 1969. (And since it was long enough after the pandemic, she didn’t even have to wear a custom mask.)

Dates: July

Location: Cadott, Wisconsin

Number of attendees: 50,000+

Wisconsin’s Rock Fest is an annual four-day music and camping festival near the town of Cadott. The Amphitheater Venue boasts 7,000 campsites, and the concert grounds feature 20 classic and new rock acts each year over four stages. 

The grounds also feature plenty of food from local eateries, a merch store and side stages with regional acts.