More women are attending festivals as a way to bond with friends and have a great time. According to recent data, 49% of festival attendees are female. Onstage, there's a slight increase in booked female artists as a study reveals that 27% of music festival acts in 2020 and 2021 were female, up from 18% from the previous years.
Although some of the biggest festivals, such as Coachella and Lollapalooza, are popular among young women, this demographic is not reflected when it comes to choosing headliners for these events.
Thankfully, there are some really fun festivals that celebrate female performers, music, art, and festival food businesses that are definitely worth checking out. Here are the best festivals in the US that empower women.
Essence Festival of Culture
If you're a woman and it's your first time to attend a festival on your own, it's important to make the necessary preparations to have a hassle-free experience. Apart from securing your tickets and booking a hotel, you also need to know if the festival destination is a safe place for a solo woman traveler. Some of the best places that are positively ranked by solo female travelers include Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and New Orleans. And if you're looking for festivals in any of these cities, you're in luck as the famous Essence Festival is held in New Orleans every year.
The Essence Festival has been around since 1995. It's known for celebrating black women and culture, but more people from all over the world have been discovering the allure of this women-friendly festival. This year, the event will take place from June 29 to July 3 at the Caesar's Superdome in New Orleans, and the lineup includes artists such as Monica, DJ Spinderella, and more. This year's festival will be headlined by Megan Thee Stallion and Lauryn Hill, and the latter will be performing tracks from her hit album, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." Apart from the music festival, ticketholders can also participate in other activities such as the Essence Food and Wine Festival, BeautyCon, and AfroPunk, among others. General admission tickets start at $215.
Girls Just Wanna Weekend
Some of the best and most authentic music festivals were started by musicians themselves, and if you're looking for one created by a female artist, look no further than Girls Just Wanna Weekend. This festival was formed in 2019 by Brandi Carlile, and it takes place for four days. In January 2023, the festival had its fourth edition in Mexico, and Carlile was joined be Maren Morris, Sara Bareiles, Natalie Hemby, Brittney Spencer, and other singers. The festival also has a ton of activities that range from yoga, pool parties, and workshops throughout the day, so it's the perfect pick if you want to engage in various activities in between sets of stellar music performances.
The Dinah Shore Weekend Event
For queer women looking for a safe space to enjoy music and bond with others, there's nothing like the Dinah Shore Weekend Event in Palm Springs. Touted as the most celebrated queer/lesbian/non-binary event in the US, the event marks its 33rd year in 2023. This year's Dinah Shore will take place from September 20 to 24, and there will be musical performances, concerts, celebrity meet and greets, contests, pool parties, and so much more. It's expected that the performers will be announced in August, but it's likely that the festival will have a stacked lineup since past performers include Lady Gaga, Lizzo, Chaka Khan, Katy Perry, and Meghan Trainor, among others.
The best music festivals that feature female performers can be found all over the US. Check out any of these festivals to feel empowered, and have a great time while partying in a safe space for women.
