New large-scale music festival approved; promises increased economic development and revenue

Music fans rejoice! A large-scale festival featuring internationally acclaimed artists is coming to Huntsville.

At the Huntsville City Council meeting on Thursday, October 12, the Council voted unanimously to allow Mayor Tommy Battle to enter into a three-year partnership agreement with C3 Presents LLC, to produce a two-day festival in John Hunt Park.

Mayor Battle described the festival as a quality-of-life enhancement for residents and said he can’t wait for the first event. The festival’s name will be announced later.

“This will have significant appeal and should attract music fans from other states and possibly other countries,” Mayor Battle said. “The investments we’ve made over the years to John Hunt Park are already attracting large-scale sports events, and it’s also what appealed to C3 Presents. It’s the perfect venue for an event of this magnitude.”

The first Huntsville festival is set for 2025 but organizers say it could happen as early as the weekend of Sept. 28-29, 2024. Factors affecting timing for the inaugural event include talent acquisition and logistics. C3 Presents estimates about 30,000 people will attend in year one.

Per the agreement, C3 would manage all festival production, from booking the talent to logistics, vendors and volunteers. The contract also requires restoration of John Hunt Park following each event.

The City of Huntsville is required to reimburse C3 Presents for any net losses, up to $1 million, each year. Unused funds will be reinvested into John Hunt Park. The City will also provide public safety and EMS services for each event as well as matching funds for marketing.

The festival will provide a new revenue stream for Huntsville’s businesses and hospitality industry. The 2022 edition of the Austin City Limits Festival, held the first two weekends in October, had an economic impact of $447 million in the City of Austin. Lollapalooza 2022 contributed more than $335 million to the City of Chicago’s economy.

Huntsville Music Officer Matt Mandrella said he’s excited about the City’s partnership with C3 Presents and looks forward to the first lineup announcement. 

“C3’s global body of work speaks for itself, and the fact that a festival producer of their caliber is committed to developing a signature event in Huntsville speaks volumes to our reputation as an emerging music city,” he said. “Their team is very excited about coming to Huntsville, and we’re confident they will deliver the world class festival experience our community deserves.” 

For more information, please visit www.huntsvilleal.gov.