With summer well under way, music festival season continues in high gear, attracting a diverse array of enthusiasts, from those who revel in pitching tents to those who prefer the comforts of an Airbnb. Yet, amidst the anticipation of witnessing favorite artists perform live on the grand stage, concerns about safety persist. To shed light on this aspect, we’ve conducted a thorough examination of official crime data spanning five years from some of North America and the UK‘s largest music festivals. Our meticulous analysis, including the calculation of crime rates per 1,000 attendees, has enabled us to construct a comprehensive safety ranking for each festival.
Highlights
- Lollapalooza in Illinois is the safest music festival in North America, with a crime rate of just 0.1 per 1,000 attendees.
- Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee ranks as the least safe, with a crime rate of 4.6 per 1,000 attendees.
- TRNSMT Fest in Glasgow is the safest music festival in the UK, with a crime rate of 1.6 per 1,000 attendees.
- Creamfields Festival in Cheshire is the least safe, with a staggering 23 crimes per 1,000 attendees.
Safest Music Festivals in North America
1. Lollapalooza, Chicago, Illinois
Topping our North American list is Lollapalooza, held in Grant Park, Chicago. Drawing 400,000 fans ready to groove to the likes of Billie Eilish, Subtronics, and Zeds Dead, Lollapalooza boasts the lowest number of arrests (91) among the analyzed festivals, with just 75 recorded crimes. This totals 166 incidents over five years, resulting in a crime rate of only 0.01 per 1,000 attendees.
2. Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), Las Vegas, Nevada
Next, we head to Nevada for North America’s largest electronic dance music festival, Electric Daisy Carnival. With a minimal crime rate of 0.2 per 1,000 attendees, EDC is a hotspot for partygoers. Hosting over 230 global dance icons and welcoming over half a million festivalgoers, EDC offers unique experiences like non-legal ceremonies at the Chapel of Nature and its own drag bar.
3. CMA Fest, Nashville, Tennessee
Tennessee‘s CMA Fest, renowned for its country music, ranks as the third safest music festival with a crime rate of 0.24 per 1,000 attendees. Over five years, it has recorded 434 total incidents, a mix of crimes and arrests. If you’re looking for a blend of Dolly Parton tunes and safety, CMA Fest is your go-to event for 2024.
4. Ultra Music Festival, Miami, Florida
Fourth on the list is Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Florida, with a crime rate of 0.38 per 1,000 attendees. Given Miami‘s reputation as a city with high crime rates, this statistic might be unexpected for some readers. However, it underscores the professionalism of Ultra‘s staff and the effectiveness of their safety measures, speaking volumes about their commitment to ensuring the security and well-being of every attendee.
5. Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, Texas
In fifth place is Austin City Limits Music Festival in Texas, boasting a crime rate of 0.5 per 1,000 attendees.
Least Safe Music Festivals in North America
1. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Manchester, Tennessee
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee ranks as the least safe North American festival, with a crime rate of 4.6 per 1,000 attendees. It has the highest number of recorded crimes over a five-year period, totaling 1,377 incidents. Despite enhanced security measures, car searches, and canine patrols, crime remains high at Bonnaroo.
2. Stagecoach Festival, Indio, California
Stagecoach Festival in California is the second least safe music festival in North America. Known as the world’s highest-grossing country music fest, it also has the highest number of arrests (595) among the analyzed festivals over five years. With an attendance of 80,000, it has a crime rate of 3 per 1,000 attendees.
3. Electric Forest, Rothbury, Michigan
Electric Forest in Michigan ranks third in terms of safety concerns, with a crime rate of 2.3 per 1,000 attendees. Despite its smaller gathering of 40,000 to 50,000 attendees, it has recorded 419 crimes and 116 arrests over five years.
Safest Music Festivals in the UK
1. TRNSMT Fest, Glasgow, Scotland
Leading the UK list is TRNSMT Fest in Glasgow. This vibrant three-day, non-camping festival has the lowest crime rate of 1.6 per 1,000 attendees. With over 150,000 attendees celebrating pop, rock, and electronica, TRNSMT has recorded only 60 crimes and 172 arrests over five years.
(Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
2. Latitude Festival, Suffolk, England
Latitude Festival in Suffolk secures the second spot with a crime rate of 2.8 per 1,000 attendees. Known for its family-friendly atmosphere and diverse performances, Latitude has recorded only 50 arrests and 63 crimes over five years, making it a top choice for a safe festival experience.
3. All Points East Festival, London, England
In third place is London’s All Points East Festival. Spanning three main days and attracting around 50,000 partygoers, this festival has a crime rate of 3.6 per 1,000 attendees. Despite higher crime figures (126) than arrests (55), its commitment to sustainability and diverse lineup makes it a popular choice.
4. Wireless Festival, London, England
Fourth place goes to another London festival, Wireless, with a crime rate of 4.7 per 1,000 attendees.
5. Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, England
In fifth place is the iconic Glastonbury Festival, with a crime rate of 5.5 per 1,000 attendees.
Least Safe Music Festivals in the UK
1. Creamfields Festival, Cheshire, England
Creamfields Festival in Cheshire is the least safe festival in the UK, with a crime rate of 23 per 1,000 attendees. Despite featuring top acts like Fatboy Slim and Chase and Status, it has recorded 623 arrests and 1,009 crimes over five years, totaling 1,632 incidents.
2. Boomtown Fair, Winchester, England
Boomtown Fair in Winchester ranks second least safe with a crime rate of 12.8 per 1,000 attendees. This five-day event has recorded 600 crimes and 180 arrests over five years.
3. Reading Festival, Reading, England
Reading Festival takes the third spot with a crime rate of 8.4 per 1,000 attendees. Known for its big-name lineups, it has recorded 654 crimes and 216 arrests over five years.
Research Approach
We collected official police data on recorded crimes/citations and arrests for the largest music festivals based on attendance in both North America and the UK. Festivals without publicly available crime statistics were excluded, and the next largest festival was used. We calculated the crime rate per 1,000 attendees using the formula: (number of crimes / number of attendees) * 1000. Data was collected over five years, excluding 2020 and occasionally 2021 due to COVID-19 cancellations.
By taking into account these safety statistics alongside the thrilling line-ups and distinctive experiences each festival offers, you can make a well-informed decision about which music festivals to attend this year. Whether you’re gazing up at the city scape in Chicago during Lollapalooza or singing along to your favorite artist at Glastonbury, there’s a festival out there perfectly suited to meet your safety requirements and musical preferences.
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