Reasons to Read

Music festivals in the US have evolved into significant cultural and commercial events. What opportunities do they present for brands and retailers, and what strategies can brands employ to engage with festivalgoers and drive spending?

In this report, we analyze festivalgoers’ 2025 plans and discuss examples of brand activations at musical festivals to highlight four key ways that retail companies can create immersive experiences that resonate with festival audiences.

Data in this research report include:

• Foot traffic at the Lollapalooza music festival, 2019–2024
• Proprietary US consumer survey findings—number of music festivals that festivalgoers plan to attend this year, brand engagement plans, expected spending at and after music festivals, likelihood of recommending a brand due to festival participation

Companies mentioned in this report include: American Apparel, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Poosh, Red Bull, Tide (Procter & Gamble), Ulta Beauty

Other relevant research:

• More reports on festivals/holidays and retail management