The Ladybug Music Festival was founded in 2012 and continues to be the largest, free celebration of Women in Music in the United States, boasting a 100% female-fronted lineup. Ladybug started as a downtown block party, functioning as a tool for local economic revitalization. It has been credited with singlehandedly energizing the music scene in Wilmington, Delaware. Ladybug is a trademarked, award-winning festival.

Our mission is to address the issue of inequity in opportunities for women in music. The lineup is intentionally made up of 100% female-fronted bands/artists, and we strive to employ female sound techs, stage managers, and event staff. We also harness the power of several female-owned small businesses, food trucks, and artisanal vendors at the event.

The Ladybug Music Festival embraces all styles of music. We do not define our event by genre or age demographic, therefore we appeal to a large variety of festival-goers. At a typical Ladybug event, you can experience everything from Jazz, Americana, and Indie-Alternative, to Soul, R&B, Hip-Hop, Rock, Country, and even Progressive sounds.

The creative industry contributes hundreds of billions of dollars to the national economy by appealing to the cultural leanings of any town or city. Nurturing this sector is a necessary key to economic growth potential through increased income and tax revenue. It has been shown that for every festival attendee, there is an expected residual amount of dollars spent in many other connected industries, such as retail, hotels, restaurants, and transportation.

A free festival allows accessibility to all demographics and ages. With a diverse musical lineup, Ladybug also comes with a broad spectrum appeal. The Ladybug Music Festival engages local businesses, employs local gig workers, books local talent, thus supporting the small business economy of these communities directly. This adds to the vibrancy of a community by encouraging people to be together in the same space through the celebration of music.

Music is a catalyst for enticing people to explore new and exciting places. We endeavor to work in conjunction with media and tourism organizations to market the event regionally in order to spotlight each host location. For example, Main Street America recognized our Wilmington festival with the Excellence in Downtown Revitalization Award for the Best Special Event in 2016.