04/22/2026
In the mid-1990s, Sarah McLachlan was repeatedly told by radio programmers and concert promoters that audiences would not accept two women in a row. Despite selling millions of albums, she was informed that female artists had to be spaced out to remain āprofitable.
Rather than accept those limits, McLachlan organized Lilith Fair, a traveling festival featuring only women. From 1997 to 1999, it toured the United States and Canada, filling massive venues and introducing audiences to artists ranging from global stars to newcomers just beginning their careers.
In its first year alone, Lilith Fair became the highest-grossing touring festival in North America, outperforming major mixed-gender festivals and drawing millions of attendees. Over three summers, it generated tens of millions of dollars and permanently disproved the belief that women could not sell tickets together.
Though criticized, mocked, and eventually exhausted by its own success, Lilith Fair reshaped how the music industry viewed female-led tours and left behind a record that could not be dismissed.
