#1 Music Festival
Austin, Texas
Originally a music festival—and now expanded to film and technology—the fest brings thousands of attendees to Texas every spring. The event has also become a haven for corporate marketers, attracting experiential events, promotions, and partnerships from an array of brands. The SXSW Interactive festival, which marked 20 years in March, focuses on start-up companies. Next: March 7-16, 2014
#2 Music Festival
National
With shows in Las Vegas, New York, and Chicago, the celebration of electronic dance music attracts massive crowds. The largest, in Las Vegas, drew 345,000 people this year to the three-day weekend. Next: Summer 2014
#3 Music Festival
New Orleans
Around 425,000 people attended the 2013 version of the music festival, which featured performances by B.B. King, Fleetwood Mac, Frank Ocean, Billy Joel, Jill Scott, Patti Smith, and other familiar names. The festival, which dates back to 1970, has been named the Festival of the Year four times by Pollstar magazine. Next: April 25-May 4, 2014
#4 Music Festival
Indio, California
To meet the massive demand, Coachella producer Goldenvoice expanded the program to two weekends last year. This year the event attracted some 90,000 revelers per day to the Empire Polo Fields. Next: April 11-20, 2014
#5 Music Festival
Chicago
Originally a traveling festival when it debuted in 1991, the fest has called Chicago's Grant Park home since 2005, but still gets big-name acts from alternative, indie, and hip-hop genres. It drew 300,000 fans over the festival’s three-day run this year, setting an attendance record. Next: Summer 2014
#6 Music Festival
Austin, Texas
The music-festival spin-off of the PBS concert series began in 2002 and has drawn some 225,000 fans in a weekend to its home at the city's Ziker Park. The 2013 edition will expand to two weekends, and the lineup includes Wilco, Vampire Weekend, Kings of Leon, Phoenix, and Lionel Richie. Next: October 4-6 and 11-13, 2013
#7 Music Festival
Manchester, Tennessee
The four-day concert, owned and produced by Superfly Presents, continues to pioneer digital and social media elements, juxtaposing them against the rural grounds in southern Tennessee. Music fans who participated in an R.F.I.D. wristband program this year received a free 30-day premium subscription to Spotify and a “digital diary” recap of where they checked in and additional content about the artists they saw. Next: June 2014
#8 Music Festival
Miami
The electronic music festival celebrated its 15th anniversary this year by expanding to two consecutive weekends, which boosted attendance from 200,000 to 330,000. The new two-weekend format is one embraced by several music fests, including Coachella and Austin City Limits, and music insiders have wondered if Lollapalooza will follow suit. Ultra, which relocated to Bayfront Park in 2012, is still waiting approval from city officials for its second weekend next year. The move is no sure thing: After a city commissioner tried to block this year’s additional weekend, the festival had to pay $500,000 for increased security. Next: March 28-30, 2014
#9 Music Festival
Fort Worth
The annual July 4 celebration brings crowds for performances from country and folk singers plus the festival's namesake. The event celebrated 40 years in 2013 at Billy Bob's Texas. Next: July 4, 2014
