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Live Index product · Methodology 1.0

Which U.S. festivals give fans the most lineup value for their ticket dollar?

A register of American music festivals, a documented method for turning an official lineup and an actual checkout total into two separate measures — what the programming is worth, and what it costs — and an honest account of which records currently carry enough evidence to be rated.

Festivals in the catalog
662
379 in the United States, 283 outside current U.S. scoring scope.
Curated register identities
12
12 published, across 8 states and 7 primary genres. A verification statistic, not the size of the catalog.
With a stated price
533
Festivals where a source stated an admission price or free entry. Stated figures exclude taxes and mandatory fees and never enter scoring.

Festival guide

The festival guide

Every festival Live Index holds a record of, one row per edition. Search by name or place, and narrow by country, state, genre and year. Where a festival or its ticket seller states an admission price, or states that entry is free, the guide shows it — before taxes and mandatory fees, and never a checkout total. Filtering happens in the page and never changes the address, so the guide has exactly one URL.

Festivals in the catalog
662
United States
379
Outside U.S. scoring scope
283
Curated register identities
12

Showing 60 of 662 festivals. 533 with a price. Prices are as stated by the source, before taxes and mandatory fees, and are not scoring inputs.

Live Index festival guide: one row per festival edition, with geography, dates, genre and stated admission price.
FestivalGeographyDates as printedGenreTicket price
3 Sisters Bluegrass FestivalOfficial siteChattanooga, TNUnited StatesOct 2 - 3, 2026Folk / BluegrassFree
311 Caribbean CruiseOfficial siteMiami, FLUnited StatesMar 10 - 15, 2027Multi-Genre—
A Day at the ParkOfficial siteRotterdamNetherlands · outside U.S. scoring scope2026Multi-Genre€29.95 historical
A Day to Remember’s Big Ole Boat ShowOfficial siteMiami, FLUnited StatesApr 28 - May 2, 2027Multi-Genre—
A State of Trance – LondonOfficial siteLondonUnited Kingdom · outside U.S. scoring scope2026Electronic / Dance—
A3Official siteLardnerAustralia · outside U.S. scoring scopeNov 27 - 30, 2026Electronic / DanceA$435–A$455 listed
Above & Beyond Group Therapy 700Official siteGeorge, WAUnited StatesSep 11 - 13, 2026Electronic / Dance$171–$336 listed
Adirondack Independence Music FestivalOfficial siteLake George, NYUnited StatesSep 4 - 6, 2026Multi-Genremedian $150 listed
Afro Plus FestOfficial siteSummerfield, MDUnited StatesSep 4 - 6, 2026Multi-Genre$199 listed
Afropunk BahiaOfficial siteSalvadorBrazil · outside U.S. scoring scopeNov 7 - 8, 2026Multi-GenreR$150 hist. median
Aftershock FestivalOfficial siteSacramento, CAUnited StatesOct 1 - 4, 2026Multi-GenrePunk · Metal / Hardcore · Rockmedian $346 listed
Agapē FestivalOfficial siteBrooklyn, NYUnited StatesSep 5 - 6, 2026Electronic / Dance$105 listed
Airlie Beach Festival of MusicOfficial siteAirlie BeachAustralia · outside U.S. scoring scopeNov 6 - 8, 2026Multi-GenreA$300 historical
Albino Skunk Music FestivalOfficial siteGreer, SCUnited StatesSep 30 - Oct 3, 2026Folk / BluegrassAmericana / Roots$410 listed
All Back to MineheadOfficial siteMineheadUnited Kingdom · outside U.S. scoring scopeNov 6 - 9, 2026Multi-Genre£180 listed
All Points EastOfficial siteLondonUnited Kingdom · outside U.S. scoring scopeAug 21 - 30, 2026Multi-Genremedian £97.45 listed
All Roads Music FestivalOfficial siteBelfast, MEUnited StatesOct 16 - 17, 2026Indie / Alternative$15–$80.77 listed
All Things Go NYCOfficial siteQueens, NYUnited StatesSep 25 - 27, 2026Multi-Genre$150–$250 listed
All Things Go Washington DCOfficial siteColumbia, MDUnited StatesSep 25 - 27, 2026Multi-Genre$124 historical
Alliance BrazilOfficial siteJaboticatubasBrazil · outside U.S. scoring scope2026Multi-GenreR$899 historical
AmericanafestOfficial siteNashville, TNUnited StatesSep 15 - 19, 2026Americana / Roots$150 listed
Anjunadeep MaltaOfficial siteSt. Paul's BayMalta · outside U.S. scoring scopeOct 8 - 11, 2026Multi-Genre—
Annapolis Baygrass Music FestivalOfficial siteAnnapolis, MDUnited StatesSep 19 - 20, 2026Multi-GenreFolk / Bluegrass · Americana / Roots · Jam / Psychedelicmedian $161 listed
Annapolis Songwriters FestivalOfficial siteAnnapolis, MDUnited StatesSep 10 - 13, 2026Multi-Genre—
Another World Music FestivalOfficial siteWoodward, PAUnited StatesSep 11 - 13, 2026Multi-Genre$30 historical
ARC Music FestivalOfficial siteChicago, ILUnited StatesSep 4 - 7, 2026Electronic / Dance$339 hist. median
Arcadia Folk FestivalOfficial siteEasthampton, MAUnited States2026Folk / Bluegrass—
Art ParkOfficial siteWinthrop, MEUnited StatesAug 21 - 23, 2026Multi-Genre$15 historical
Arts, Beats and EatsOfficial siteRoyal Oak, MIUnited StatesSep 4 - 7, 2026Multi-GenreFree
Austin City LimitsOfficial siteAustin, TXUnited StatesOct 2 - 11, 2026Multi-GenreRock · Indie / Alternative · Country · Hip-Hop / Rapmedian $367.50 listed
Austin Psych FestOfficial siteThe Far Out LoungeUnited StatesMay 8-10Jam / Psychedelic$225 listed
Austin Reggae FestivalOfficial siteAuditorium ShoresUnited StatesApril 17-19Reggae$43 hist. median
Babylon SoundgardenOfficial siteIstanbulTürkiye · outside U.S. scoring scopeAug 22 - 23, 2026Multi-Genre$2,000 listed
BAD Day Music & Arts FestivalOfficial siteWilmington, NCUnited States2026Multi-Genre—
BajaWonderGrassOfficial siteEl SargentoMexico · outside U.S. scoring scopeApr 22 - 24, 2027Folk / BluegrassAmericana / Roots—
Balaclava FestOfficial siteSao PauloBrazil · outside U.S. scoring scopeSep 26 - 27, 2026Multi-Genre—
Ballhooter FestivalOfficial siteSnowshoe, WVUnited StatesSep 4 - 6, 2026Multi-Genre$199 listed
Bat FestOfficial siteAustin, TXUnited States2026Multi-Genre$35 hist. median
Be Prog! My FriendOfficial siteBarcelonaSpain · outside U.S. scoring scopeSep 25 - 26, 2026Multi-Genre€100 listed
BeachLife FestivalOfficial siteRedondo Beach, CAUnited StatesMay 1-3Multi-Genre$333 listed
Bear Music FestOfficial sitePinecrest, CAUnited StatesSep 17 - 20, 2026Multi-Genre$65 historical
Beautiful DaysOfficial siteOttery Saint MaryUnited Kingdom · outside U.S. scoring scopeAug 21 - 23, 2026Multi-Genre£21 historical
Belicofest San JoseOfficial siteSan Jose, CAUnited States2026Multi-Genre—
BeonixOfficial siteLimasolCyprus · outside U.S. scoring scopeSep 25 - 27, 2026Electronic / Dancemedian €90 listed
Best of Blues and RockOfficial siteSao PauloBrazil · outside U.S. scoring scopeNov 20 - 22, 2026Multi-GenreAmericana / Roots · Rock · Jazz · Hip-Hop / Rap · R&B / Soul · Latin · Pop—
Beyond ExistenceOfficial sitePaige, TXUnited StatesNov 6 - 8, 2026Multi-Genre$222 hist. median
Beyond The ValleyOfficial siteBarunah PlainsAustralia · outside U.S. scoring scopeDec 28, 2026 - Jan 1, 2027Multi-GenreA$224–A$249 listed
Big Barn Dance TaosOfficial siteTaos, NMUnited StatesSep 10 - 12, 2026Multi-GenreFolk / Bluegrass · Americana / Roots · Countrymedian $35 listed
Big Blues BenderOfficial siteLas Vegas, NVUnited StatesSep 10 - 13, 2026Americana / Roots$595 listed
Big CityOfficial siteGlasgowUnited Kingdom · outside U.S. scoring scope2026Multi-Genre€127.50 hist. median
Big FamOfficial siteBrooklyn, MIUnited StatesSep 25 - 27, 2026Multi-Genre—
Big FeastivalOfficial siteKinghamUnited Kingdom · outside U.S. scoring scopeAug 28 - 30, 2026Multi-Genre£180 listed
BigSoundOfficial siteBrisbane CityAustralia · outside U.S. scoring scopeSep 1 - 3, 2026Multi-Genremedian A$70 listed
Black Mountain BluesOfficial siteBlack Mountain, NCUnited StatesSep 25 - 27, 2026Americana / Roots$295 listed
Black Swamp Arts FestivalOfficial siteBowling Green, OHUnited StatesSep 11 - 13, 2026Multi-GenreFree
BlackAmericana FestOfficial siteNew Orleans, LAUnited StatesSep 25 - 26, 2026Multi-Genremedian $35 listed
Blind Willie McTell Blues FestivalOfficial siteThomson, GAUnited States2026Americana / Roots$35 historical
Blossoms & BonesOfficial siteAbiquiu, NMUnited StatesSep 10 - 12, 2026Multi-Genre—
Bluegrass Island Music FestivalOfficial siteManteo, NCUnited StatesOct 14 - 17, 2026Folk / Bluegrass$79 historical
Boats and BluegrassOfficial siteWinona, MNUnited StatesSep 24 - 26, 2026Folk / Bluegrass—

Stated identity, dates, location, genre and admission price never become a checkout price, a value score or a ranking input, which require Live Index verification. The methodology sets out how records are collected and reviewed.

Two measures

Affordability and value are not the same question

A $500 festival can rate poorly on affordability and strongly on value; a cheap festival with four hours of programming can do the reverse. Publishing one number would hide that, so this product publishes two and keeps them apart.

Festival Affordability Score

Consumer cost only. It is built from the actual minimum amount charged at checkout for one general admission, including mandatory fees, and from the cost of a single programming day. No judgement about the lineup enters this measure at any point, which is what makes it usable as a control on the value measure rather than a restatement of it.

Festival Value Score

What the programming is worth against what it costs. Lineup market value is estimated only from observed comparable standalone ticket prices — never from guarantees or booking fees, which are not public. Headliner contribution is capped so a single act cannot carry a thin bill, and depth counts only artists billed at middle card or above.

Both measures are recomputed from their inputs whenever a price or lineup record changes. Neither is editable by hand. The full method, including the two formulas that were tested and rejected, is published in the open.

Collection status

Why every record currently reads Not yet rated

The measurement system is built and tested; the observation rounds that feed it have not run. A price a festival advertises is not an observed checkout total, and a public listing is not an official lineup. Rather than fill the interface with numbers that would have to be invented, the register publishes its coverage and states what is missing.

  • Official lineup capture for at least one current edition per register record, with billing positions as printed.
  • Checkout observation for the lowest generally available admission tier, capturing advertised face value and mandatory fees separately.
  • Comparable standalone ticket observations covering at least 60 per cent of the qualifying artists on each lineup scored.
  • A verified programming day count per edition, including a rule for overnight formats.

RankingsMethodologyPrice datasetMachine-readable data

Identity fields last reviewed 2026-08-23. Ratings are unaffected by advertising, sponsorship, promoter relationships or genre preference; Live Index holds no commercial relationship with any festival, operator or ticketing company named here.