ABOUT

Jill Slader-Young

About Ladybug Music Festival

The Ladybug Music Festival is the largest free, women-led music festival in the United States, a vibrant celebration of women in music, creativity, and community.

Founded in 2012 as a grassroots block party in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, Ladybug began as an alternative to traditional large-scale music festivals. From the very beginning, the vision was clear: bring women to the forefront of festival lineups, create meaningful opportunities for local and independent artists, support the local creative economy, and keep the event free and accessible for the community.

As Ladybug grew, so did its reach and impact. The festival expanded to additional locations across Delaware and into Maryland, earning multiple music and tourism awards along the way, as well as official proclamations recognizing Ladybug’s cultural significance. What started as a single-day experiment evolved into a multi-stage, multi-city experience that continues to draw thousands of music lovers each year.

Even during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ladybug adapted. In 2020, the festival transformed into a global virtual event, featuring artists from around the world and reaching audiences far beyond city limits. In the years that followed, Ladybug experimented with new formats—smaller in-person events, themed music crawls, and week-long programming that kept the spirit of the festival alive while reimagining how communities gather.

Today, Ladybug is under the stewardship of IDEA (Igniting Delaware’s Edutainment Association), a nonprofit organization dedicated to blending education, entertainment, and community engagement. This alignment allows Ladybug to deepen its mission—connecting music with conversations around women’s leadership, health and wellness, financial literacy, creativity, and cultural history.

At its core, Ladybug remains rooted in the same values that sparked its creation. The festival exclusively features women and women-identifying artists or women-fronted bands, and it intentionally seeks to hire women across festival operations whenever possible. A typical Ladybug Music Festival welcomes 4,000–6,000 attendees, activates multiple indoor and outdoor stages in partnership with local businesses, showcases dozens of artists, and features artisans, nonprofits, and food vendors—all while remaining free to attend.

Ladybug is more than a festival. It is a platform, a gathering place, and a growing movement—one that proves music festivals can be inclusive, values-driven, and joyful while still making a lasting cultural impact.

We’re just getting started, and we can’t wait to show you what’s next.

Next Event - Saturday, May 30, 2026

Join us on May 30, 2026 for the Ladybug Music Festival, the largest free, women-led music festival in the United States. This one-day celebration brings together powerful performances by women and women-fronted artists, local businesses, artisans, and community partners for an unforgettable day of music, connection, and creativity. Rooted in inclusivity and community impact, Ladybug is more than a festival; it’s a joyful gathering that centers women’s voices and welcomes everyone.
2025

May 30 (Wilmington) - Our day was threatened by storms, but we pivoted and moved the entire rest of the outdoor venues into the Queen’s many performance rooms and all of the music played on! Our stages were graced by DJ Shadylady, over 30 women-led bands, the legendary Martha Wash singing her new music (with a very special performance of her hit ‘It’s Raining Men”,) and headlined by the incredible stylings of rising alt rocker Margaret Glaspy! What a day!
2024

May 31 - Philadelphia Champions of Ska, Catbite, put the most energetic finishing touches to an already exhilierating day of 34 free-to-see performances in 8 venues along the 400 & 500 blocks of North Market Street in our flagship city of Wilmington, DE! Joining us to kick off the festival and close down the afterparty was Queen HD The DJ, official DJ of the Washington D.C. National Women's Soccer League team!
June 29 - Sarah Shook & the Disarmers rocked out a killer ending to a wonderful (yet hot) day of women-led music in the historic town of Old Ellicott City, MD. Over 30 artsts in several indoor and outdoor stages brought several thousands to support our mission.
2023

June 2 - An estimate 4,000+ in attendance enjoyed music from over 30 artists on 7 different stages on the 400 & 500 blocks of N. Market Street, Wilmington, headlined by rising Southern Gothic star Adia Victoria. New this year, The Wilmington Whiskey Club pop up bar, the official free PRE-PARTY HAPPY HOUR at Willingtown Square and AFTER-PARTY at Stitch House Brewery, both featuring DJ Shadylady !
September 30 - Nitro Nitra headlined a stellar day of 30 performances on 7 stages in beautiful Downtown Milford, Delaware, for an estimated 4,000 fans, complete with fod trucks, vendors, and lots of ladybug wings floating around!
2022

May 20 - The Ladybug Music Festival returns to Wilmington’s 2nd & LOMA blocks with over 4,000 estimated in attendace, over 40 bands in 10 venues, and Sweet Lizzy Project headlining!
July 30 - The Milford Ladybug Music Festival returns to downtown Milford with a turnout of over 4,000 estimated, 9 stages, and over 35 acts - headlined by female latin rocker, Eljuri!
2021

March 29 – Ladybug hosts first music industry educational series J.A.M (Join. Achieve. Master.) Session virtually.
June 17 – Inaugural Mt. Cuba Ladybug Garden Crawl.
July 12-17 – Ladybug’s ‘Music by Women Week’ takes place safely during COVID pandemic with 15 acts performing 11 shows at 9 locations over six days.
September 13 – Ladybug’s ‘An Evening of Women in Music’ takes place safely during COVID pandemic with 25 artists performing at 11 locations in Downtown Wilmington
2020

Spring - Ladybug hosts Facebook Live “Mini Digital Ladybug Festivals” during beginning of COVID-19 pandemic to support local artists.
June 29 and 30 – 9th annual Ladybug Festival goes fully virtual with nationally known acts: Keri Hilson, KT Tunstall, Larkin Poe, Vanessa Carlton, Mary Lambert, Kechi, and Evie Clair, among over 40 more regional and local acts, performing over 2 days.
2019

July 18-19 - The 8th annual Wilmington event spanned two days, with over 100 performances. The Ladybugs of Soul Tribute Band was created and had their inaugural performances as the Headliner. Estimated attendance over 10,000 people
September 21 – 2nd annual Milford Ladybug Festival grows in attendance to an estimated 4,000-5,000 people
2018

June – Ladybug receives first national press from Billboard magazine.
July 20-21 – 7th annual Wilmington event hosts 100 artists over 2 days with an estimated 12,000 in attendance
September 22 – Inaugural Milford Ladybug Festival draws thousands of fans
2017

July 20 - The 6th annual Ladybug Music Festival, now presented by Chase Bank, expands to 2 days in Wilmington with an estimated 10,000 in attendance, with Larkin Poe as headliner.
Mayoral Proclomation establishing July 20th and July 21st, 2017 as the Ladybug Festial Days in Wilmington by Mayor Mike Purzycki.
2016

February - First Ladybug Mini Conference at The Queen
July 21 - Estimated 7,000 in attendance for 5th annual event headlined by Mary Lambert, Caroline Rose, Nadjah Nicole, and Rachael Sage
Ladybug logo becomes a Registered Trademark. Press from the News Journal, Best Concert Award from The Homeys, and Downtown Delaware Award for Excellence in Downtown Revitilization.
2015

March – Awarded Best Concert by WSTW Homey Awards
July 16 – 3,000 estimated attendance for 4th annual event. Also in July, first front page story in 55 hours in The News Journal, and first billboard situated in Wilmington at 4th and King St.
2014

July 17 – 1,500 in attendance for 3rd annual Ladybug Festival, first to have an outdoor stage
2013

July 18 – Thirty artists perform for 2nd annual event - estimated 600 in attendance
2012

July 19 – First Ladybug Festival, featuring twenty performers in five indoor venues on LOMA (Lower Market Street, Wilmington, DE) – Estimated 600 in attendance. Future competitor on “The Voice”, Nadjah Nicole performs.