The majority (55.5%) of big music festivals in the United States are held in urban centers, yet, in recent years, there's also been an increase in music festivals held in smaller, suburban areas. In fact, Bloomsberg reports that 20% of festivals are now located in either suburbs or exurbs. You can do a quick search for "music festivals near me" to see the growth in suburban music festivals for yourself. Usually, you'll find a suburban event within a couple of hours or so away. The rise of suburban festivals largely comes down to the uplifting, community feel these (often family-friendly) events provide locals. Plus, people also value the convenience of getting the live music experience without the need to travel far from home.
Suburban music festivals strengthen community ties
77% of dedicated, repeat festival-goers and 61% of casual attendees say their love of music festivals stems from the sense of community and belonging they experience at these events. Undoubtedly, this community feeling is particularly prevalent at suburban music festivals as they tend to be smaller, more intimate, and close knit. They're also, more often than not, family-friendly. For example, Minnesota's Lakefront Music Fest is a two-day country and rock festival held annually at Prior Lake. It draws crowds of roughly 20,000 people on average, and children under ten can enter the festival for free. Festival profits go towards organizations that benefit the Prior Lake community, such as local schools, athletic clubs, arts organizations, and parent, teacher, child organizations.
Alternatively, the annual, three-day Backlot Bash, held in Skokie, in Cook County, Illinois, is another popular, family-friendly suburban music fest. The live music lineup here ranges from folk, hip hop, pop, blues, rock, and country, so there's a genre for everyone. But this summer festival also offers plenty of other events to suit people of all ages community-wide, including a carnaval, kid's activities and bingo.
Millennials fuel rise of suburban music festivals
Millennials, in particular, play a key role in the rise of suburban music festivals. This generation (which includes those born between 1981 and 1996) accounts for as much as 45% of the 32 million Americans who attend music festivals across the country each year. Notably, almost 60% of millennials would rather spend money on "life experiences" like music festivals and live concerts, instead of material goods.
At the same time, millennials are the most mobile of all generations, and they're now increasingly moving from cities to suburban areas. "Throughout the past decade millennials were moving to suburbs that were farther out from the city center", new research from Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies finds. This mass-migration is primarily fueled by greater housing affordability in suburbs compared to major cities. This is all the more important for millennials who are in that stage of life where they need to balance their finances in order to support growing families. Life in the suburbs is cheaper, which allows millennials and their families to enjoy a better quality of life and, thanks to the rise of festivals, still pursue their passion for live music.
Riot Fest's suburban stadium move canceled
Although Riot Fest organizers intended to move this year's punk rock festival to a nearby suburban stadium, a last-minute change of plans saw the festival return to its original home in West Side Chicago's Douglass Park. City officials were eager to negotiate the festival's return as it's a valuable event that creates jobs for the community, as well as supports local youth, artists, and small businesses. In fact, Riot Fest has even established a "Beyond the Fest" initiative specifically designed to help local residents. For example, the initiative offers paid internships and scholarships to young, local students, gives local artists spots on the festival lineup, and hosts free workshops for small businesses.
Suburban music festivals have certainly grown in popularity in recent years, and this trend shows no sign of slowing down. As people are increasingly eager for the live music experience without traveling too far from home, these music festivals are set to play an increasingly bigger role in suburban areas across the country well into the future.
photo from a fine Renegade Craft Fair
