A recent Reddit thread on r/jambands sparked a frank discussion on why 2025 ticket sales are sluggish for key jamband festivals like Mountain Jam in New York and All Good in West Virginia. Attendees are struggling to resell passes even at steep discounts, revealing fresh challenges in the jamband festival scene.
Why Tickets Aren’t Moving:
- High Ticket Prices: Many fans say the cost-to-value ratio feels off, with some unwilling to pay more than $100-$150.
- Oversaturation: The abundance of jamband festivals playing similar lineups is fracturing demand.
- Economic Pressure: Fans feel the squeeze of rising living costs, limiting discretionary spending on festival tickets.
- Location & Format: Mountain Jam’s non-camping setup and remote venue deter some potential attendees.
- Audience Demographics: An aging fanbase combined with energized crowd dynamics reduces overall enthusiasm.
These factors reflect wider industry trends. Internationally, festivals like Australia’s Good Life Festival and New Zealand’s Paradise City Rock Festival canceled their 2025 editions citing operational costs and poor ticket sales. In the U.S., even major names like Coachella have reported softer ticket uptake, partly blamed on rising prices.
The takeaway? Jamband festivals face a critical moment. Price sensitivity, lineup fatigue, and convenience challenges mean organizers must rethink their models to boost appeal and ticket momentum in future seasons.
Source: r/jambands