Origins of Music Festivals

From Coachella to Lollapalooza to Rolling Loud, music festivals have become a staple in the lives of concertgoers all over the world. They are a space for people to come together and enjoy the music they love while sharing the experience with those around them. However, as popular as these festivals are, their history is not often talked about. While people have been gathering to listen to music since its inception, The recorded history of music festivals begins in ancient Greece, 582 BC to be exact, at the Pythian Games. Dedicated to the Greek God Apollo, the Pythian Games occurred every four years and consisted of competitions and performances surrounding music and art. From there the story travels to 17th century Europe, when composers such as Mozart and Beethoven were paving the way for what we now know as classical music. At this time, festivals were held frequently as a way for citizens to gather but were typically very exclusive and reserved only for the more educated upper class. This would be the case for some time going forward until the music landscape changed immensely in the 20th century. With the outbreak of World Wars One and Two, festivals for the elite stopped completely as the focus of the population shifted away from music. Subsequently, new music genres, such as jazz, emerged out of the lower class, with festivals being held once again for the masses. By the 1960s, festivals had regained their popularity among the public, especially following one of the biggest of all time, Woodstock, in 1969. Since then, the interest and scope of festivals has only grown, shaping them into the musical experiences we enjoy with one another today.

Find out more about some of the biggest music festivals:

Coachella- https://coachella.com

Lalapalooza- https://www.lollapalooza.com

Rolling Loud- https://www.rollingloud.com

Summerfest- https://www.summerfest.com/lineup/