The Best Industry Events for Music Festival Professionals.

The music festival sector is a vibrant industry that probably employs several hundred thousand people globally. With so many professionals interested in the latest new developments it's not surprising that a large number of events and conferences are now available to attend. What are the biggest and best events around the world to consider for networking and learning.

The music festival sector employs professionals with a focus on any number of different specialties, form operational logistics to volunteer management and artist curation for example. Industry focused events and conferences enable them to stay up to date on the latest trends, explore new partnerships and collaborations and even discover new talent. Hot topics like sustainability and evolving technology are at the forefront of many industry events in 2025. 

Event Conference Formats. 
Most industry events will have a core structure that includes presentations form keynote speakers, seminars, supplier exhibitions and networking sessions. The balance of these and topics selected by organisers should be a key consideration when selecting which event to attend. These industry events typically last between 2 and 4 days and many also run live music events in the evenings. The content chosen for presentations, panel discussions and seminars constantly shift but current tending topics include ticketing, sustainability, technology, safety and security and staff wellness. Every topic is supported by experienced leaders in their field who typically run sessions and workshops. All events and conferences are usually supported by an exhibition zone for suppliers to showcase their latest offerings. 

European Events and Conferences. 
There is a large selection of events and conferences to consider in the European region that run throughout the year. 
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) which takes place in the Netherlands every year usually in October over 5 days and is known as one of the largest industry events. The focus is on electronic music and attendees can expect networking, workshops, panels, showcases for production and global touring. 
Reeperbahn Festival, takes place in Germany during September and is known for highlighting emerging talent along with comprehensive conference programmes for industry professionals. 
International Live Music Conference (ILMC) takes place in London usually in February each year and is a magnet for promoters, agents, venue operators and festival organisers. Known for its networking opportunities and sessions on the most relevant trending challenges. 
The Great Escape is a key showcase for new talent with a focus on performances, taking place in Brighton during May each year. The music festival is combined with a conference that attracts curation professionals and talent buyers. 
Event Production Show takes place during February or March and is based in London. It's primarily a trade show for event and festival organisers looking for new suppliers with exhibitor booths for staging, power, fencing, signage and event management software for example. 

Asia Pacific Events and Conferences. 
There is a limited number of industry events in the APAC region with most centred in Australia plus some specific country events in Korea and Japan for example. 
Music Matters Live and Conference takes place in Singapore during September and combines a music festival with a conference. There is an emphasis on music-tech and artist discovery with attendees usually including agents, promoters and festival regional organisers. 
Bigsound is Australia’s key industry event which takes place in Brisbane during September with content across the spectrum. There are showcases for new emerging talent along with presentations and seasons covering sustainability, artist development and festival operations for example. 
Australian Festivals Industry Conference (AFIC) takes place in New South Wales usually in September every year. The event and conference is dedicated to the festival sector with topics like production, sponsorship and insurance. 

North American Events and Conferences. 
The most prolific number of industry events and conferences take place across North America with the highlights including: 
SXSW Conference and Festival takes place in Austin during March each year. It is one of the largest industry events in the world and features a comprehensive conference programme that covers music, film, technology and interactive media. SXSW is known for being one of the best cross-industry networking events. 
Canadian Music Week takes place in Toronto during May and is one of the most influential industry events in Canada. It features a full-blown music and film festival with a focus on Canadian talent. 
Music Biz Conference takes place in Atlanta during May and is hosted by the Music Business Association. The event content covers a wide range of topics including distribution, publishing and how recorded music trends impact on live event experiences. 

For festival organisers planning their next event using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by Antonio Jamal Roberson via Pexels

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