Planning Guides
Venues, permits, local vendors, and insider knowledge for the top festival metros in the US.
Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World and one of the top festival cities in the U.S., hosting 100+ annual outdoor events from SXSW to ACL Festival. This guide covers everything you need for festival planning in Austin: venues, permits, vendors, weather strategy, and local insights from a city that lives and breathes live events.
Charlotte is one of the fastest-growing festival cities in the Southeast, with 100+ annual outdoor events drawing millions of attendees. From Taste of Charlotte to Festival in the Park, this guide covers everything you need for festival planning in Charlotte: venues, permits, vendors, and local insights.
Chicago hosts 200+ annual festivals drawing millions of attendees, from Lollapalooza's 400,000 to the Taste of Chicago's millions. This guide covers everything you need for festival planning in Chicago: venues, permits, vendors, weather, and local insights from the city that invented house music and perfected the street festival.
Denver hosts 100+ annual festivals drawing millions of attendees, from the 300,000-strong Cinco de Mayo celebration to the 350,000 who fill Cherry Creek for the nation's top outdoor arts festival. With 300 days of sunshine, a deep craft beer culture, and mountain-town energy in a major metro, this guide covers everything you need for festival planning in Denver: venues, permits, vendors, and local insights.
Los Angeles hosts over 2,500 special events annually, from massive cultural celebrations like LA Pride and the LA County Fair to neighborhood block parties across 500+ square miles of diverse communities. This guide covers everything you need for festival planning in Los Angeles: venues, permits, vendors, and local insights.
Miami is a world-class festival destination with 200+ annual outdoor events drawing millions of attendees year-round. From Ultra Music Festival to Calle Ocho, this guide covers everything you need for festival planning in Miami: venues, permits, vendors, weather strategy, and local insights.
Milwaukee is the 'City of Festivals,' hosting 80+ annual outdoor events including Summerfest, the world's largest music festival. From Henry Maier Festival Park to the Wisconsin State Fair Park, this guide covers everything you need for festival planning in Milwaukee: venues, permits, vendors, and local insights.
Nashville is one of America's premier festival cities, with 40+ annual outdoor events powered by a deep musical heritage, a booming food scene, and an audience that lives for live experiences. From CMA Fest to the Hot Chicken Festival, this guide covers everything you need for festival planning in Nashville: venues, permits, vendors, and local insights.
New Orleans hosts 130+ festivals annually, from Jazz Fest's half-million attendees to intimate neighborhood second lines. This guide covers everything you need for festival planning in New Orleans: venues, permits, vendors, weather, and the cultural traditions that make this city unlike anywhere else.
New York City hosts 200+ annual festivals drawing tens of millions of attendees, from Governors Ball to SummerStage to the West Indian Day Carnival. This guide covers everything you need for festival planning in New York City: venues across all five boroughs, the multi-agency permit process, vendor networks, and local insights from the world's most vibrant event market.
Portland is the Pacific Northwest's most vibrant festival city, hosting 200+ annual outdoor events from the iconic Rose Festival to the Waterfront Blues Festival. This guide covers everything you need for festival planning in Portland: venues, permits, vendors, weather windows, and local insights from one of America's most creative event cities.
Richmond is a rising star in the Southeast festival scene, drawing over 500,000 attendees annually to events along the James River and throughout its historic neighborhoods. From the Richmond Folk Festival to Dominion Energy Riverrock, this guide covers everything you need for festival planning in Richmond: venues, permits, vendors, and local insights.
San Francisco hosts some of the most iconic festivals in the country, from Outside Lands to Carnaval and SF Pride. This guide covers everything you need for festival planning in San Francisco: venues, permits, vendors, weather strategy, and local insights from the Bay Area's outdoor event scene.